The immunological significance in the guinea-pig of in vitro transformation of lymph node, spleen and peripheral blood lymphocytes

Abstract

Cells from lymph nodes or spleen, or peripheral blood leucocytes of immunized guinea-pigs were cultured in the presence of antigens or phytohaemagglutinin. Significant incorporation of tritiated thymidine occurred in a variable proportion of the experiments with lymphocytes from each of the three sources. Cells taken from animals that had been immunized with sheep erythrocytes with adjuvant, and which showed strong delayed hypersensitivity, and from animals immunized intravenously with sheep erythrocytes, which failed to show delayed hypersensitivity reactions, both responded to sheep erythrocytes in vitro.

Cells from guinea-pigs immunized with complete Freund's adjuvant alone, which showed strong delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin PPD, gave more positive responses in vitro than did cells taken from animals which received an intravenous injection of tuberculin PPD before the adjuvant. These animals showed no or weak delayed hypersensitivity reactions (immune deviation).

The immunological significance of the in vitro proliferative reaction is discussed.