Early handling enhances mitogen responses of splenic cells in adult C3H mice

Abstract

Experiments were done to investigate the effects of early postnatal handling in mice on humoral and cellular immune response at 21 and 60 days of age. In Experiment 1, C3H mice were either handled or left undisturbed from birth to weaning and their mitogen-induced, splenic B- and T-cell proliferative responses were measured at Day 21. No differences were found. In Experiment 2, mice were handled as in Experiment 1, except that at weaning the two groups were further subdivided into postweaning handled or nonhandled groups and their splenic B- and T-cell proliferative responses were measured at 60 days of age. These data showed significantly enhanced B- and T-cell proliferative responses due to preweaning handling and no effect of postweaning handling.