Mixed lymphocyte reactions in the rabbit using peripheral blood cells: the effects of cell preparation and skin grafting

Impaired immune function in obstructive jaundice

Sepsis is a common and occasionally lethal complication of obstructive jaundice. The reasons for this increased susceptibility to infection are unknown. This study examines lymphocyte and reticuloendothelial (RES) function in animals with obstructive jaundice. Twelve New Zealand white rabbits (3-4 kg) were studied. Lymphocyte function was evaluated in six rabbits by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulation. In six animals, hepatic RES function was assessed by calculating the phagocytic index (PI) using the disappearance of 99Tc sulfacolloid (5 mg/kg) iv. After baseline studies, the common bile duct was divided and ligated. The above studies and serum bilirubin were repeated at 3 weeks. Obstruction was then relieved by cholecystojejunostomy (CJ) and RES studies repeated monthly x 6. Preobstructive lymphocyte function showed a stimulation index ratio (log) of 0.85 +/- 0.25 for PHA, 0.75 +/- 0.3 for Con A, and 0.71 +/- 0.25 for PWM. With biliary obstruction, the values fell to -0.23 +/- 15 (P less than 0.006), -0.31 +/- 0.12 (P less than 0.006), and -0.29 (P less than 0.006), demonstrating impaired lymphocyte function. When tested lymphocytes were mixed with control pooled rabbit serum, however, no lymphocyte impairment was noted. Baseline hepatic PI was 6.02 +/- 0.18 and fell to 3.79 +/- 0.33 with obstruction (P less than .01) and remained low at (3.20 +/- 0.14) 1 month (P less than 0.01) and (3.33 +/- 0.23) at 3 months (P less than .01), after CJ but returned to normal (8.04 +/- 0.97) at 6 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of conjunctival resection on the corneal immune response

In order to evaluate the effect of perilimbal conjunctival resection on the corneal immune response, we immunized rabbits with either intravenous or topical administration of bovine gamma globulin. After unilateral perilimbal conjunctival resection, the corneas were challenged with intracorneal injections of bovine gamma globulin. Perilimbal conjunctival resection prevented the development of peripheral corneal infiltrates in the rabbits immunized intravenously (P less than .0016) but not in those immunized topically. All the animals developed antibody titers to bovine gamma globulin. Similarly, perilimbal conjunctival resection did not prevent corneal graft rejection in rabbits sensitized to their donors by previous skin grafting.

Genetics of Chinese hamster mixed lymphocyte reactivity

Two-way and one-way mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) with Chinese Hamster peripheral blood lymphocytes were performed. Reduction of the culture surface and additon of 2-mercaptoethanol to the culture medium gives a marked enhancement of the reactivity of low numbers of lymphocytes in the MLC. Genetic analysis of the mixed lymphocyte reactivity (MLR) in the animals studied so far indicates that three or four different alleles are involved. However, not all phenotypes could be traced. The samples of different stocks of Chinese Hamsters in Europe and the United States did not all share the same alleles and the samples were also different as regards the relative frequency of phenotypes. For DNA inhibition in stimulating cells mitomycin C treatment is less suitable than irradiation. Skin graft survival time was longer in animals which showed no MLR than in animals with a positive MLR.

The cells involved in cell-mediated and transplantation immunity in the rabbit. XII. The establishment of the optimum conditions for the demonstration of a consistent response for the circulating white blood cells in the mixed leukocyte reaction

Rabbit circulating leukocytes (WBC) have been shown to respond consistently in the allogeneic one-way mixed leukocyte culture reaction (MLR). Culture of the cells for 5--6 days in 5% CO2 in air in medium RPMI 1640 supplemented with normal decomplemented rabbit serum to a concentration of 2.5% provided conditions for an optimal MLR response. The WBC of the majority of the normal rabbits tested (82%) responded in the MLR, in contrast to the negative findings of other investigators. The WBC of a minority of the normal rabbits (18%) did not respond in the conventional MLR; however, the spleen cells of these rabbits consistently responded in the MLR, demonstrating that these rabbits possessed MLR responsive cells which may not have been present in the circulation at the time of analysis. Furthermore, the WBC of the 'non-responder' rabbits responded well in the MLR when the allogeneic WBC stimulator cells were replaced by allogenic spleen cells, suggesting that the WBC responder cells require a helper cell provided by the splenic stimulator cells to facilitate the blastogenic response. Whether the MLR responsive cell in the rabbit is a T cell or a 'T-like' cell with B cell properties has still not been resolved.