H-Y antigen entrance into the immune system: relationship between lymphokine release, proliferation, cytotoxicity and delayed hypersensitivity.

In this paper we tested in parallel lymphokine release, proliferation, cytotoxicity and delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions to H-7 antigen in high responder C57Bl/6 female mice. In vivo priming and in vitro restimulation are required in order to activate all the in vitro T-lymphocyte functions, and the ability to locally transfer DTH reactions. By contrast, a discrepancy is found between in vitro and in vivo tests of T-lymphocyte reactivity. In primed mice DTH reactions are evident, whereas no in vitro reactivity to H-Y is detectable.