Studies on immunity in hybridoma-bearing mice. A. Immune response to antigens. I. Role of subcutaneously injected IgE-producing hybridoma on antibody production of different isotypes against immunizing antigens.

When immunized with ovalbumin (OVA), mice bearing subcutaneously injected anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE-secreting hybridoma cells do not produce anti-OVA IgE antibodies as long as anti-DNP IgE is present in abundance in their sera. As soon as the titer of anti-DNP IgE antibody falls, anti-OVA IgE antibody appears. This inhibition of production of anti-OVA IgE is attributed to Fc epsilon-bearing T cells which have a suppressive action of limited duration. Other isotypes of anti-OVA antibodies are produced in similar amounts as in controls which were immunized with OVA but not injected with hybridoma cells.