Monocyte/macrophage procoagulant activity as a measure of immune responsiveness in Lewis and brown Norway inbred rats. Discordance with lymphocyte proliferative assays.

In vitro lymphocyte proliferative assays were performed using Lewis (Lew) and Brown Norway (BN) rats, and compared to induction of monocyte/macrophage procoagulant activity (PCA) in a mixed lymphocyte culture and by endotoxin (LPS) (E. Coli 0111:B4). Splenic mononuclear cells from Lew rats had significantly greater mitogen-induced proliferation to concanavalin A (P = .002) and phytohemagglutinin (P = 0.007). The Lew cells also showed greater allogeneically induced proliferation by BN cells in a one-way MLC in comparison to the reciprocal BN proliferative response (P less than 0.04). PCA induction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) by allogeneic stimulation in MLC or total content PCA by LPS did not vary significantly between the 2 strains (P greater than 0.5). Induction of PCA by LPS was rapid, with a moderate rise over basal activity at 3 hr and maximal activity at 6 hr. Two-way allogeneic induction of PCA in PBM from BN and Lew rats resulted in PCA elevation by 3 hr, which became maximal at 18 hr. One-way MLC with Lew or BN cells as responders resulted in moderate increases in PCA by 3-6 hr, with equivalent maximal activities recorded at 18 hr. Viable PCA accounted for 26-32% of total content PCA in both Lew and BN rats. Maximal allogeneic PCA induction by MLC was 14-18% of PCA induced by LPS and required a longer incubation for its expression. Our results indicate that in vitro PCA expression by Lew and BN PBM following allogeneic or endotoxin stimulation shows little interstrain variability in comparison to lymphocyte proliferative responses. Thus PCA appears to more closely reflect the observed in vivo responses of these strains to allogeneic challenge.