Potentiated Reagin Response: Initiation with Minute Doses of Antigen and Alum Followed by Infection with Nippostrongylus Brasiliensis

Intraperitoneal injection of 10 µg of egg albumin (EA) or keyhole limpet hemocyanin plus alum elicited a low titer reagin response in most male Sprague-Dawley rats. Infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis larvae served to potentiate the reagin response in many animals. The potentiated response yielded impressive reagin titers, at least in rats injected with EA, but was of short duration. The potentiated response appeared to be restricted to antibodies of the IgE class and did not involve IgGa or IgG1 antibodies. Some attempts were made to elucidate the mechanism of the potentiated response.