Hapten-specific responses to contact sensitizers. Use of fluorodinitrobenzene to elicit migration inhibition and macrophage agglutination factors from lymph node cells of contact-sensitive guinea-pigs.

Hapten-specific sensitivity of guinea-pigs sensitized to dinitrophenyl (DNP) contactants and to DNP-protein conjugates was investigated by skin test and by antigen-induced elaboration of migration inhibition (MIF) and macrophage agglutination factors (MAF) From lymph node cells. The delayed contact reaction was highly specific for low doses of contactant and markedly less so for conjugates; lymph node cells elaborted both lymphokines in response to brief exposures to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) or prolonged exposures to DNP conjugates. Elicitation of MAF by DNFB or DNP conjugate was inhibited in the presence of DNP glycine; the activity of MAF induced by DNP conjugate (but not that induced by DNFB) was inhibited in the presence of DNP-glycine as well. These results suggest that contact sensitivity to DNP conjugates reflect two different types of hapten-specific cellular sensitivity mediated by populations of cells with different antigen receptors and possibly, functionally different lymphokines.