[Effect of volatile excretions induced with thymus-dependent antigen in female mice on the behavioural responses of males].

It was found that thymus-dependent antigen sheep red blood cells in the optimal immunogenic dose (1 x 10(8) cells/mouse) induced in female mice of CBA and B6 strain secretion of attractive urinary volatile components (VCs), and in the supraoptimal dose (1 x 10(9) cells/mouse)--aversive VCs for intact males CBA strain. In a direct comparison of the properties ofVCs-immunized mice of CBA and B6, a modification of the effect of constitutive chemosignalling: disturbance of ability of females VCs to attract allogeneic males, was observed. The role of thymus-dependent antigen dose and sex of animals in the mechanism of generation of antigen-induced chemosignals is discussed.