Competence of thoracic duct cells in the transfer of adjuvant disease and delayed hypersensitivity. Evidence that mycobacterial components are required for the successful transfer of the disease

Abstract

Transfer of rat adjuvant disease into syngeneic recipients was achieved with lymph node and spleen cells from adjuvant injected donors, but not with washed thoracic duct (TD) cells, despite the fact that these were capable of transferring delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to PPD. Addition of mycobacteria enabled the TD cells to transfer disease. Injection of adjuvant caused accelerated development of disease in the recipients of sensitized TD cells. Since addition of mycobacterial components, probably already present in lymph node and spleen cell preparations, was necessary to transfer disease with sensitized TD cells, it appears unnecessary to invoke an autoimmune or viral etiology for the disease. It is concluded that adjuvant disease results from prolonged DH type reactions to mycobacterial components deposited in the sites of inflammation. TD cells drained late were more efficient than those drained early after cannulation in the transfer of DH to PPD. This was probably due to changes in the proportions of different cell populations present in the TD lymph.