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Lymphokine Activity in Vivo in Relation to Circulating Monocyte Levels and Delayed Skin Reactivity¹

From the Department of Pathology and the Center for Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214

Abstract

The i.v. injection of migration inhibition factor- (MIF)containing supernatants from cultures of sensitized lymphocytes incubated with specific antigen results in a marked reduction in the number of monocytes in the peripheral blood of recipient guinea pigs. This treatment results also in suppression of delayed-type skin reactions to unrelated antigens in such recipients.

When actively immunized guinea pigs were studied, it was found that detectable macrophage migration inhibitory activity appeared in their sera shortly after i.v. challenge with antigen. This activity was maximal at 6 to 12 hr, which was somewhat later than the reduction in peripheral blood monocytes induced by i.v. injection of either specific antigen or exogenous MIF-containing fluids.

These results provide proof of the ability of lymphokines to participate in in vivo reactions. Neither the presence of MIF in the antigen-activated supernatants used for suppression of circulating monocytes and skin reactivity nor the appearance of MIF activity in serum of actively immunized and antigen-challenged animals implies that MIF itself is the responsible agent of the observed biologic activities although it is clearly a strong candidate for such a role. Regardless of which lymphokine(s) proves to be the mediator of the suppressive effects described here, these observations suggest the possiblity of modifying the expression of immunologic reactivity by such substances in appropriate clinical states.

Footnotes

¹ This investigation was supported by Grants AI-09114 and CA-02357. This is Publication 70 from the Center for Immunology.