Quantitative effect of H-2-linked gene(s) on antibody response to human gamma-globulin

H-2-linked gene(s) have been found to play a role in the quantitative regulation of response to human gamma-globulin (HGG) in mice selected for high or low antibody responsiveness to sheep erythrocytes. Unexpectedly, in a random genetically heterogeneous population of F 2 interline hybrids, the gene(s) linked to the H-2 phenotype of H mice has a “low” effect, and the gene(s) linked to the H-2 phenotype of L mice a “high” effect on the magnitude of antibody response to HGG. In H and L mice, the non-specific polygenic control of antibody responsiveness is able to compensate/counteract the inverse effect of HGG-specific H-2-linked gene(s) since the usual interline difference is observed.