MIGRATION AND CELL RECRUITING ACTIVITY OF SPECIFICALLY SENSITIZED LYMPHOCYTES IN SPONGE MATRIX ALLOGRAFTS

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Abstract
The migration of In-111-labeled specifically sensitized lymphocytes (SSL) and unsensitized spleen lymphocytes (UL) into sponge matrix allografts was studied in irradiated mice. Injected (i.v.) SSL were preferentially recruited to the graft bearing the sensitizing alloantigen. High numbers of these SSL, however, were attracted regardless of their immunological specificity to a 3rd-party graft, when cells sensitized against the 3rd-party antigen were given simultaneously. When SSL were injected locally into a specific and 3rd-party graft, i.v. injected UL also homed preferentially to the specific graft. Prior treatment of SSL with anti-.theta. serum and complement abrogated their cell recruiting capacity. The percentage of injected lymphocytes recruited to the specific allograft during the first 36 h increased with the number of SSL injected. Augmented lymphocyte recruitment duration was inversely related to the number of SSL injected into the graft. There is some evidence that SSL which were recruited to an allograft migrate to a 2nd antigen challenge site and initiate there a high lymphocyte recruitment. Apparently increased lymphocyte recruitment to an allograft is initiated by an immunologically specific interaction between SSL and alloantigen. The cells which are preferentially recruited to an allograft, comprise small unsensitized lymphocytes and SSL regardless of their immunological specificity. Lymphocytes with cell recruiting activity are T cells and appear to be very mobile in vivo. The mechanism described might have an important amplifying effect on allograft rejection.