Particulate antigens may be reprocessed after initial phagocytosis for presentation to T cells in vivo

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Abstract
Macrophages were pulsed with Listeria monocytogenes antigens by intraperitoneal injection prior to harvesting and thoroughly washing the cells. The pulsed macrophages were injected into the feet of Listeria-immune or naive mice to elicit a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Where soluble Listeria antigen was used, presentation by donor macrophages to host T cells required identity within the I region of the H-2 complex. However, presentation of alcohol-killed Listeria organisms or of a living, temperature-sensitive mutant of Listeria was apparently not H-2 restricted. When T cells enriched in vitro for Listeria reactivity were injected into the feet of naive mice, they reacted in an H-2 restricted manner to antigen presented to them either by the pulsed macrophages or host cells apparently acquiring antigen from the original pulsed macrophages.