Evidence of altered T-lymphocyte number and proliferative responses in genetically epilepsy-prone rats.
Genetically epilepsy-prone (GEPR-9) rats exhibit decreased antibody plaque-forming cell responses following immunization. We examined the hypothesis that this immunosuppression was due to deficits in the number or proliferative responses of T-lymphocytes. Splenocyte responses to concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen were significantly greater in GEPR-9 rats than controls. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that GEPR-9 rats possess an increase in T-cells associated with the T-helper phenotype. The increased proportion of T-helper cells in GEPR-9 rats may underlie their enhanced proliferative responses to T-cell mitogens. These results clearly indicate that the failure of the GEPR-9 rat to respond to a T-dependent antigen in vivo is not due to a lack of T-helper activity.
Razani-Boroujerdi
S
S
Department of Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.
Rowland
R R
RR
Ortiz
K A
KA
Savage
D D
DD
Tokuda
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000473:pathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*
D008934:Mitogens