The graft-versus-host reaction in chickens: determination of some parameters.

Some aspects of the ""Graft-Versus-Host'' (GVH) reaction were studied in White Leghorn chickens by assessing the splenic response of recipients to an injection of lymphocytes from donors. The responses varied according to the origin of recipient embryos as well as to the source of the donor lymphocytes. Blood lymphocytes induced a higher splenomegaly in recipients than spleen lymphocytes, at least in the first seven weeks of life. The influence of the thymus on GVH reactions was also investigated. Lymphocytes from thymectomized chickens induced stronger responses than lymphocytes from non-thymectomized ones. These results support the conclusion that in the chicken T-lymphocytes may not be the only cells involved in the development of GVH reactions and cast some doubts on the reliability of GVH reactions to check the T specificity of immunological cellular responses.