Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity in the Mouse III. Inactivation of Thymus-Derived Effector Cells and Their Precursors.

The ability of thymus-derived (T) cells activated by polymerized flagellin (POL) from Salmonella adelaide to transfer anti-POL delayed-type hyper-sensitivity (DTH) to normal mice was largely abrogated by pretreating the cells with anti-Θ serum and complement, and completely abrogated by pretreating the cells with POL labelled with ¹²⁵I-iodine to hight specific activity. The thymocyte precursors of POL-activated T cells were also in-activated by treatment with ¹²⁵I-POL. T cells activated by POL of one specificity were completely inactivated by ¹²⁵I-POL of the same or of another specificity but not at all by ¹²⁵I-labelled haemocyanin (Jasus lalandii). Pre-incubation of POL-activated T cells with rabbit anti-mouse light chain globulin prevented their subsequent inactivation by ¹²⁵I-POL but did not reduce their ability to transfer anti-POL DTH. The significance of these findings is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]