HOMOGRAFT RESPONSE IN ADULT-THYMECTOMIZED MICE: DEFICIENCY WITH AGING AND AFTER LOW DOSE-RATE GAMMA-IRRADIATION,
Abstract
The homograft response to skin grafts of varying antigenic disparity was measured at 15-20 months of age in mice thymectomized at 8 weeks of age. The response to male isografts was delayed more in thymectomized female recipients than in intact recipients. Exposure of female mice to sublethal X radiation (at 10-11 weeks of age) resulted in a further delay in intact recipients and abrogated the response in the thymectomized recipients. Other intact but aged mice showed a slight impairment of response to skin grafts differing at non-H-2 loci. In thymectomized groups, this impairment was increased. Exposure of both intact or thymectomized mice (at 9 months of age) to 1133 rad of low dose rate gamma-radiation (1.4 rad/hr) resulted in an increased delay in response relative to the nonirradiated groups. In all cases, the non-H-2 grafts were the most affected by radiation and thymectomy. It is concluded: (1) After adult thymectomy, the homograft response becomes deficient in old mice, particularly as regards male or non-H-2 isoantigens. (2) Chronic gamma-irradiation after thymectomy further increases this deficiency, presumably by creating a greater demand for new immunocompetent cells and/or by eliciting defects in their precursors. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 04, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0659026
Entities
People
- Leonard J. Cole
- William E. Davis Jr.
Organizations
- Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory