Effects of adrenalectomy and glucocorticosteroid therapy on bone marrow T cells. Effect on T cell traffic and graft-versus-host (GVH) reactivity

Social stress affects migration of blood T cells into lymphoid organs

The effect of social confrontation stress on the normal distribution of blood T cells into lymphoid organs and some other body tissues was studied. Social stress was induced by placing a male Fischer 344 (F334) rat into the home cage of a resident opponent. 51Cr-labeled blood T cells isolated from syngeneic donor, were intravenously injected into recipients immediately before confrontation. The accumulation of 51Cr-labeled T cells in the spleen, mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes 24 h after injection was about 30% lower in socially stressed than in control males. Substantially higher localization was observed in the bone marrow of socially stressed males.

In vivo augmentation of local xenogeneic graft-versus-host reaction by cimetidine and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin

Histamine-2 receptor blocker therapy (cimetidine) was combined with nonspecific Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunomoderation in order to obtain a more directed immunostimulatory response. To establish this the local xenogeneic graft-versus-host reaction (XGVHR) was used as objective in vivo parameter. In this placebo-controlled experiment the lymphocytes of inbred Sprague-Dawley rats were transferred intradermally to partially immunosuppressed guinea pigs after treatment with either or both of the test substances. The surface areas of the local XGVHRs were evaluated 48 and 72 h later. The local XGVHRs caused by lymphocytes obtained from rats treated with either cimetidine or BCG alone did not differ significantly from those caused by lymphocytes obtained from placebo-treated rats. Combination therapy, however, resulted in significant augmentation of the local XGVHR, clearly indicating a synergistic effect between cimetidine and BCG. The XGVHR appears to be a satisfactory model for evaluating drug effect on cell-mediated immune reaction in vivo.