Lymphocyte proliferative response in vitro and its cellular dependency in guinea-pigs with experimental allergic orchitis

Abstract

The development of cellular hypersensitivity was measured by the proliferative response of lymph node cells in vitro and a skin test to partly purified testicular antigen. There was a slight stimulation of lymph node cells and of the delayed cutaneous response 1-2 wk after sensitization with testicular antigen in Freund''s complete adjuvant, and then, after a decline in response, there was a pronounced peak 6 wk after sensitization. The early response coincided with the onset and active inflammatory stage of the effect on the testis, while the major peak was consistent with a state of aspermatogenesis. The proliferative response of unseparated lymph node cells could not be attributed to the function of T [thymus-derived] or B [bone marrow-derived] cells acting alone, although at 6 wk after sensitization, B cell populations did become slightly responsive to antigen. The response of T lymphocytes was enhanced by the presence of B lymphocytes or peritoneal macrophages at 2 and 6 wk after sensitization, but B cells did not appear to interact with macrophages. T cells are essential to the proliferative response of lymph node cells during induction of experimental allergic orchitis in guinea pigs.