In vivo collaboration between precursor T cells and helper T cells in the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to influenza virus in mice.

Nude, athymic mice do not mount a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to influenza A virus. A single injection of T helper cells (gamma-irradiated, 2-day immune spleen cells) or three injections over 3 days of a concanavalin-A-activated spleen cell supernatant to virus-sensitized nude mice resulted in a 'normal' DTH response when the mice were challenged with the virus. It was previously shown that the cells responsible for the reaction were T cells and required I-region compatibility. Injection of T helper cells into normal mice did not affect the level of the subsequent DTH response. However, injection of such cells into mice pretreated with anti-thymocyte serum (ATS) restored the ability of the mice to mount a DTH response. The results show that (1) nude mice contain precursor T cells for influenza virus antigen; (2) an I region-restricted response can be generated in the absence of a thymus; and (3) in vivo collaboration between DTH T-cell precursors and helper T cells can be shown to occur in congenitally nude mice and ATS-treated mice.