Effect of Adrenalectomy on Tuberculin Reaction in Mice.

Abstract

Since mice are normally anergic to tuberculin during tuberculous infections and since animals of this size are known to have relatively large adrenal glands, the effect of adrenalectomy on tuberculin allergy was studied. Groups of albino Swiss mice were "sensitized" to tuberculin by wkly. subcut. injns. of heat-killed H37Rv tubercle bacilli suspended in light mineral oil. A 2d series of animals was "sensitized" by intraven. inoculation of viable BCG organisms. After 4 wks. each group was divided and 1 subgroup subjected to bilateral adrenalectomy while the other underwent a sham operation. Tuberculin skin tests with PPD and O. T. before and after adrenalectomy gave essentially the same results. Some animals in each exptl. and control group showed minimal reactions to tuberculin. It is concluded that the relative tuberculin anergy of mice is not related to adrenal function.