Leukocytic Transfer of Delayed Sensitivity to Normal Guinea Pigs from Rats Infected with Mycobacterium Lepraemurium

Abstract

Systemic injections of spleen homogenate or peritoneal exudate cells from Mycobacterium lepraemurium infected rats rendered normal guinea pigs specifically sensitive to intradermal M. lepraemurium antigen. In contrast, intracutaneous injection of active cells suspended in OT or M. lepraemurium antigen transferred responses to OT (old tuberculin) as well as to the homologous antigen. The transfer ability of sensitive cells was destroyed by 50°C for 30 min. Comparison of cells from each of several rats in single guinea pigs demonstrated that the cellular reactivity of rats which had been challenged twice with M. lepraemurium was greater than that of cells from animals which had been challenged only once. These results corresponded with the relative resistance of the 2 groups of animals.