Lymphoproliferative responses of spleen cells of inbred rat strains to Mycoplasma arthritidis mitogen.
A potent mitogen for T lymphocytes of various species has recently been isolated from the supernatant of cultured Mycoplasma arthritidis organisms (MAS). In the mouse, reactivity to this mitogen has been observed to be controlled by the I-E subregion of the major histocompatibility complex. We have analysed the responses of spleen cells from several inbred rat strains covering practically all known haplotypes of the major histocompatibility complex of the rat (RT1). Unlike in the mouse, all of these responded well to MAS, except for the BN rat strain, which is a low responder to all T-cell mitogens, including phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A. This unresponsiveness, however, appeared to be unrelated to the RT1 haplotype, since LEW.1N rats carrying the same RT1n haplotype as BN animals responded well. Mice of the strain C57BL/6 are non-responders to MAS, but--as previously shown--their spleen cell responses can be reconstituted by the addition of 2-mercaptoethanol. No such reconstitution was observed for the low responsiveness of BN rat spleen cells. Stimulation with MAS induced high titres of interferon (presumably gamma interferon) in spleen cells from all rat strains tested. Spleen cells from BN rats produced lower interferon activities than those from other strains.
D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*
D008934:Mitogens; D007372:Interferons