Effect of cyclophosphamide-induced elimination of lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph node on immune response in mice.

A single dose of 300 mg of cyclophosphamide was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). During the highest cyclophosphamide-induced elimination of lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph node, sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were injected either intravenously (i.v.) in a dose of 4 X 10(8) or into the hind foot-pads in a dose of 2 X 10(8). At consecutive days after cyclophosphamide administration, the number of cells producing 19S and 7S antibodies in the spleen and lymph node as well as antibody titer in the serum were determined. As observed, cyclophosphamide-induced depletion of the lymphoid tissue did not change the kinetics of appearance of cells producing antibodies in the spleen and lymph node but only diminished their number as well as the titer of antibodies in the serum.