Effects of cyclophosphamide on the in vivo response of outbred athymic (nude) mice to a thymus-independent antigen (DNP-AGG-Ficoll)

Immunology. 1978 Dec;35(6):1009-15.

Abstract

Both nude mice (nu/nu) and their heterozygous littermates (nu/+) were injected with a single IP dose of 300 mg cyclophosphamide (CY)/kg. CY is a known immunosuppressive agent, which affects primarily B lymphocytes. Immunization with the thymus independent antigen DNP-AGG59-Ficoll after CY treatment disclosed that restoration of the primary direct PFC response occurred more rapidly in nude mice than in nu/+ mice. However in these same experiments, the primary indirect PFC response, recovered earlier in nu/+ mice than in nude mice. After CY treatment, secondary indirect PFC responses were delayed in both nude and nu/+ mice, but the greatest effect was seen in nude mice. The data suggest that the presence of T cells has little if any influence on the recovery capacity of those B cells which are destined to become direct PFC. However the recovery of B cells which are destined to produce indirect PFC responses is facilitated by the presence of T cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / drug effects*
  • Antigens / immunology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Count
  • Cyclophosphamide / pharmacology*
  • Dinitrobenzenes / immunology
  • Hemolytic Plaque Technique
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Lymphocyte Cooperation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Spleen / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Dinitrobenzenes
  • Cyclophosphamide