[Cytotoxic lymphocytes after allostimulation in vivo: kinetic, reproducibility and specificity after primary stimulation (author's transl)].

After allogeneic skin grafting and allogeneic sensibilization with spleen cells in the mouse system cytotoxic lymphocytes are induced, which can be shown in an vitro assay. The maximum of the cytotoxicity appears 2 to 3 days after transplantation. Cytotoxicity during graft rejection is clearly lower than the maximum cytotoxicity. After 3 to 4 weeks no cytotoxic lymphocytes can be detected. A similar time course is seen after sensibilization with allogeneic spleen cells. The cytotoxic lymphocytes do not react only against the stimulator haplotype if tumor cells are used as target cells. Common specificities between the stimulator and target cells may be responsible for this cytotoxicity. On the other side we found a specific cytotoxic reaction with thymocytes as target cells and in vivo no cross reaction for a second-set graft rejection.