Interacting genetic factors controlling the antibody response against the H-2.2 specificity.

The antibody response against the H-2.2 specificity has been studied in three H-2d strains. B10.D2. DBA/2. and BALB/c. and their hybrids (B10.D2 x DBA/2)F1 and (B10.D2 x BALB/c)F1. The genetic control of the response appears to be complex: The three pure strains are responders, whereas both hybrids when immunized with C3H-HTG are nonresponders. Individual analysis of N3 offspring is compatible with the idea that, in this combination, an Ea-4 incompatibility between donor and immunized strain is necessary for the anti-H-2.2 response to occur. H-2d/H-2k hybrids (B10.BR x B10.D2)F1 or (B10.BR x DBA/2)F1 are responders when immunized with C57BL/10 (H-2b) but not with B10.A(2R) (H-2h), indicating that simultaneously recognized H-2 specificities are necessary for the anti-H-2.2 response.