In Vivo Elimination of Allogeneic Lymphocytes in Normal and T‐Cell‐Deficient Rats

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Abstract
The distribution of allogeneic and syngeneic thoracic duct lymphocytes was studied over 24 h in normal and T-cell-deficient animals (thymectomized, irradiated rats, B rats, or congenitally athymic nude rats). Initial migration from blood was no less for allogenic than for syngeneic cells. After 24 h a marked deficit of radioactivity labeled allogeneic cells as compared with syngeneic cells was found in the lymphoid tissue, while the allogeneic isotope was recovered in a relatively greater amount in liver, kidneys and cell-free plasma and lymph. Most of the allogeneic cells are evidently destroyed within the first 24 h and their isotope released into body fluids. This process was more evident in T-cell-depleted environments. Autoradiographic studies of recipient nude rat spleens showed that allogeneic cells were not found in the great number seen in syngeneic transfers, but a high grain density in the periarteriolar lymphocyte sheath area was observed. Granula seemed to be predominantly located over large non-lymphoid cells. The elimination of allogeneic lymphocytes is governed by mechanisms independent of an intact thymus and may be due to a cell population or factor more active in nude animals than in their non-nude littermates.