Requirement of B lymphocytes in local adoptive transfer of experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) by lymph node cells.

The necessity of T lymphocytes in local adoptive transfer of experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) is an established fact. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the participation of B lymphocytes in the local transfer system of EAO. The capacity of purified lymph node T and B cells to transfer EAO was compared. Donor strain 13 guinea pigs were sensitized with testicular antigen and complete Freund's adjuvant. We then injected 1 X 10(8) cells just under the tunica albuginea of the testis of a syngeneic recipient. The recipients were killed 5 days after cell transfer. Nylon-wool nonadherent T cells alone produced only minimal lesions, but could induce more severe mononuclear lesions with the addition of syngeneic, normal macrophages. In contrast, B-cell enriched populations either alone or combined with a small number of macrophages, were able to transfer extensive lesions. In the combined transfer of immune T and immune B cells the severity of transferred lesions was dependent upon the number of B cells. These results suggest that cooperative interactions among T cells, B cells, and macrophages are involved in the generation of transferred testicular lesions, with emphasis on the participation of B cells.