Abstract
Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) is an inflammatory reaction mediated by CCR7- effector memory T lymphocytes that infiltrate the site of injection of an antigen against which the immune system has been primed. The inflammatory reaction is characterized by redness and swelling of the site of antigenic challenge. It is a convenient model to determine the in vivo efficacy of immunosuppressants. Cutaneous DTH can be induced either by adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T lymphocytes or by active immunization with an antigen, and subsequent intradermal challenge with the antigen to induce the inflammatory reaction in a given skin area. DTH responses can be induced to various antigens, for example ovalbumin, tuberculin, tetanus toxoid, or keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Such reactions can also be induced against autoantigen, for example to myelin basic protein (MBP) in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced with MBP, an animal model for multiple sclerosis (1). Here we demonstrate how to induce an adoptive DTH reaction in Lewis rats. We will first stimulate ovalbumin-specific T cells in vitro and inject these activated cells intraperitoneally to naive rats. After allowing the cells to equilibrate in vivo for 2 days, we will challenge the rats with ovalbumin in the pinna of one ear, while the other ear wil receive saline. The inflammatory reaction will be visible 3-72 hours later and ear thickness will be measured as an indication of DTH severity.
Highlights
Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) is an inflammatory reaction mediated by CCR7- effector memory T lymphocytes that infiltrate the site of injection of an antigen against which the immune system has been primed
Cutaneous DTH can be induced either by adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T lymphocytes or by active immunization with an antigen, and subsequent intradermal challenge with the antigen to induce the inflammatory reaction in a given skin area
Such reactions can be induced against autoantigen, for example to myelin basic protein (MBP) in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced with MBP, an animal model for multiple sclerosis (1)
Summary
Resting ovalbumin-specific T cells are stimulated with ovalbumin in the presence of irradiated Lewis rat thymocytes (30 Gy) as antigen presenting cells (APCs), in Stimulation Medium (Prepare in DMEM + Pen/Strep/L-Glut + NEAA + RPMI Vitamins + 2ME + Rat Serum + Ovalbumin, at the final concentrations noted in the materials list.). 1. We take serum from the rats we sacrifice as thymus donors. 1. Take the thymus of a decapitated rat using sterile instruments and place it in PBS containing penicillin and streptomycin (PBS-PS), on ice. 2. Take the thymus to a tissue culture hood, clean it from blood clots and other contaminating tissue and cut it in small pieces into a cell strainer (Fisher # 08-771-2) placed in a 10 cm petri dish containing 10 ml of PBS-PS. 3. Each piece is pressed through the cell strainer using the back of a sterile 1 ml syringe plunger. Collect the single cell suspension into a 50 ml tube on ice. Centrifuge the suspension at 1250g and resuspend the pellet in PBS-PS, 5 ml/thymus, on ice. Note: The best thymus donors are young adult rats, 5-7 weeks old.
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