Effect of the gastrointestinal microflora on induction and maintenance of oral tolerance to ovalbumin in C3H/HeJ mice.

The effect of the digestive microflora on oral tolerance to ovalbumin was studied by using axenic (germfree) and conventional C3H/HeJ mice. In contrast to reported results of studies with sheep erythrocytes, oral administration of ovalbumin induced tolerance in axenic mice, but the maintenance of tolerance was found to be of shorter duration than was with conventional mice. These data indicate that the contribution of the microflora to oral tolerance depends on the antigen used.