Immune responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens: a comparison of the murine model and the response in humans.

The immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens has been studied both in mice and, to a lesser extent, in humans. Although there are differences in the immune responses of these two organisms, several major points of similarity have emerged. In both cases the role of the spleen is of importance in mounting an immune response. In both species the presence of certain malignancies causes profound immunosuppression, and treatment of malignancies with radiation and/or cytotoxic drugs results in severe impairment of the host's ability to respond to an immunogenic stimulus and to continue biosynthesis of the specific antibody.