Kinetic immunochemical studies of IgG production during local and systemic anti-influenza immune response in rats

The kinetics of anti-influenza IgG antibodies in serum and nasal wash during the local and systemic immune response in rats was studied. The influenza virus A/HK/1/68 (H3N2) was injected by two different routes--intranasally and subcutaneously in the hind footpads. The proliferation of the Ig-forming cells in the popliteal and paratracheal lymph nodes either local or distant according to the mode of virus administration was also studied. The results obtained during the primary and secondary immune response suggested that an atypical immunization also produced a strong immune response in the distant lymph nodes. The nature of the secondary immune response supports the concept of migration of the activated lymphocytes from the peripheral lymph nodes to the natural portal of entry of virus thus giving rise to specific clonal population.