Studies on the relationships between the immunogenicity and catabolism of antigens and their binding to the surface of macrophages.

The relationship between immunogenicity of Shigella paradysenteriae, the branched synthetic polypeptide poly-L (Tyr, Glu)-polylpro-polyllys [(T, G)-Pro--L] and human albumin (HSA) interacting with macrophages and kinetics of antigen degradation and degree of binding to the cell surface was studied. Following thioglycollate inoculation into C57BL/6 mice, the peritoneal-stimllated macrophages had higher levels of hydrolases as compared to unstimulated cells. The lysates of the stimulated macrophages catabolized the three labeled antigens faster than did the lysates of unstimulatec cells.