The Journal of Immunology, Vol 138, Issue 11 3598-3603, Copyright © 1987 by American Association of Immunologists
Functional T cell deficits after bone marrow transplantation across minor histocompatibility barriers: effects of graft-vs-host disease on precursor frequency of reactive cells
JL Ferrara, JP Daley, SJ Burakoff and RA Miller
We have studied T cell responses in mice transplanted with bone marrow from
H-2-identical, minor histocompatibility loci-nonidentical donors
(B10.BR----CBA) in which graft-vs-host disease is induced by the addition
of donor T cells. T cell responses to mitogen were examined both in high
density, conventional bulk cultures and by limiting dilution analysis.
Long-lasting deficits in the frequency of functional T cells were observed,
for both IL 2-producing and cytotoxic cells, in proportion to the severity
of the graft-vs-host disease induced. These deficits did not reflect a
corresponding loss of Thy-1+ cells nor a loss of function in conventional
cultures in mice studied at later times after bone marrow transplantation.
These deficits in reactive cells are not completely correctable with IL 2,
and provide further insight into the nature of T cell reconstitution of the
immune system after bone marrow transplantation.
