Coping and Immune Function
Abstract
This project has focused on the development of a reliable animal model of stress-induced changes in immune function and the role of stressor controllability in this process. Previous work on this project concentrated on the effects of inescapable shock on changes in in vitro measures of immune function such as mitogen stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. This year we shifted to a study of in vivo immune functioning with the hope that in vivo measures might reveal more reliable changes. We developed an ELISA assay that detected specific IgG antibody to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), an immunogenic but harmless protein. We developed a paradigm in which animals were immunized with KLH, then stressed in some fashion, and then antibody to KLH measured over an 8 week period. A variety of different stressors all proved to substantially reduce antibody production. One session of inescapable shock, three sessions of inescapable shock, inescapable shock delivered during the dark phase of the animals' day/night cycle, inescapable shock delivered during the light part of the cycle, and defeat in territorial aggression all suppressed antibody production. Thus alteration in vivo antibody production seems to be a robust and repeatable change in immune function produced by stressors, and we are now in a position to study the psychological and physiological mechanisms responsible for such changes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA197551
Entities
People
- Mark Laudenslager
- Steven F. Maier
Organizations
- University of Colorado Boulder