Cytotoxicity of immune guinea-pig cells. I. Investigation of a correlation with delayed hypersensitivity and a comparison of cytotoxicity of spleen, lymph node and peritoneal exudate cells.

The work was intended to show whether any correlation could be established between delayed hypersensitivity and the appearance of specifically cytotoxic cells in the spleen, lymph nodes and peritoneal exudate. Using chicken erythrocytes as target cells, the cytotoxicity of cells from immunized guinea-pigs was assessed by the Cr release technique. After immunization with chicken erythrocytes and complete adjuvant, spleen, lymph node and peritoneal exudate cells were active, the overall time course of cytotoxicity corresponding broadly with intensity of delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Following intravenous immunization with erythrocytes, there was no delayed hypersensitivity response, and lymph node cells were not cytotoxic; spleen cells and peritoneal exudate cells showed cytotoxicity. A further partial correlation with delayed hypersensitivity was shown in immune-deviated guinea-pigs. Lymph node cell cytotoxicity and delayed hypersensitivity were markedly depressed while spleen cytotoxicity was unimpaired and peritoneal exudate cytotoxicity only slightly lowered. Assessed by effector: target cell ratio, peritoneal exudate cells were found to produce greater cytotoxicity than spleen or lymph node cells. Partial cell separation by adherence showed that cytotoxicity was associated with peritoneal macrophages. Cytotoxicity directed against chicken erythrocytes was found to be target-cell specific.