Antigen-binding peripheral blood lymphocytes in guinea-pigs immunized with human thyroglobulin and BCG.

Guinea-pigs were immunized with an emulsion of human thyroglobulin (Tg) and BCG vaccine in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Peripheral blood lymphocytes binding Tg and purified protein derivative of mammalian tuberculin (PPD) labelled with I were demonstrated with an autoradiographic technique. The percentage of these cells was compared with the size of the delayed hypersensitivity (DH) skin reactions to Tg and PPD, and Tg antibody titres at intervals up to 35 days after immunization. The individual responses to Tg showed the time course of primary immune reactions although they did not parallel each other closely. By contrast, a depression of cutaneous DH to PPD was observed in spite of the presence of substantial numbers of I-PPD-binding peripheral blood lymphocytes. In non-immune guinea-pigs, approximately 2·8% of peripheral blood lymphocytes bound I-PPD whereas <0·1% bound I-Tg. The significance of antigen-binding lymphocytes in the immune response is discussed, and it is suggested that the presence of a substantial pool of antigen-binding lymphocytes in unprimed may be of importance in the induction of DH.