Modification of suppressor/cytotoxic and helper subsets in lentil lectin-pretreated mice.
The effect of lentil lectin (LCA) on various lymphocyte subpopulations in the spleen, lymph nodes and thymus of CBA mice was studied. The most marked effect after five 1-mg LCA doses was observed in the spleen. LCA caused a drop in both the total and relative number of cells carrying all the markers examined, i.e., Thy 1, L3/T4a, Lyt 2, and sIg, so that large numbers of lymphocytes did not express any of them. A dramatic decrease in the Thy 1-positive cell number is mainly due to depletion of the L3/T4a (helper) T cell subpopulation, whereas the Lyt 2+ (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells are less affected. The decrease in the Thy 1+, Lyt 1+ and L3/T4a+ cell numbers in the thymus and lymph nodes is smaller, the percentage of Lyt 2+ cells is even increased after LCA treatment. Our results indicate that two mechanisms play a role in the induction of allotransplantation tolerance by LCA: 'depletion' of helper T cells and a relative increase in the regulatory (suppressor) cell ratio, which may support allograft survival.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D037102:Lectins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D037121:Plant Lectins; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology; D014181:Transplantation Immunology / Q000187:drug effects
D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C033619:lentil lectin