Abstract
The cellular basis of the augmentation of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) by systemically administered BCG was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. BCG pretreatment potentiated the CMI to alloantigens as measured by a 48-hour microcytotoxicity assay (MCA) against P815Y tumor cells. The effector cell was not a T-cell, as demonstrated by its lack of sensitivity to antithymocyte serum and complement and its failure to kill in a short-term 51Cr release assay. The effector cell also was not a classical macrophage, because it was not depleted by treatment with silica. CMI as measured by the MCA was consistently depleted by magnetic separation after incubation with carbonyl iron. The active cell(s) showed variable adherence properties. The augmentation of alloimmunity was alloantigen-specific. The specificity appeared to be due to the interaction between effector cells without inherent specificity and sensitized T-cells.
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