Immune response gene regulation of the humoral immune response to Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae in mice

Among various strains of mice immunized orally with Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae and adjuvant GM-53 in liposomes, BALB/c and DBA/2 mice (H-2(d)) were found to be high responders to the fimbriae, CBA/J and C3H mice (H-2(k)) were intermediate, while C57BL/6 mice were low responders in terms of serum IgG and salivary IgA responses. Furthermore, humoral immune responses were examined using congeneic mice of B10 background showing different H-2 haplotypes, and it was revealed that B10.D2 mice (H-2(d)), followed by B10.BR (H-2(k)), responded well to antigenic stimulation of the fimbriae, while C57BL/10 mice (B10, H-2^b) were low responders to the fimbriae. Hybrids between BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were found to reflect a phenotype of low responders. Thus, the humoral immune responses to P. gingivalis in mice are restricted by H-2 haplotype.