Changes in blood and spleen lymphocyte populations following antigen challenge in immature male chickens.
1. The effects of antigen (Ag) injection on the distribution of lymphocyte populations of Cornell K-strain male chickens were studied. 2. Two experiments were conducted. In the first, chickens were injected with Brucella abortus (BA), a purported T-independent antigen. In the second, chickens were injected with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), a T-dependent antigen. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and spleen lymphocytes isolated at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 h following Ag injection were stained with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) detecting B-lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ cells. 3. B-lymphocytes in the blood or spleen showed no significant changes following either BA or SRBC injection. In contrast, CD4+ cells were decreased in the blood and increased in the spleen following BA and SRBC injections. CD8+ cells were decreased in both blood and spleen following BA injection but were unchanged in either blood or the spleen following SRBC injection. 4. These results indicate that there is a change in both spleen and circulating lymphocyte populations, especially T-helper cells, following Ag injection. T-helper cells are apparently the primary population involved in the initiation of humoral immunity.
Department of Poultry Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802-3501, USA.
J M
JM
Trout
M M
MM
Mashaly
H S
HS
Siegel
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000941:Antigens; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial