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The Effect of Total Body X-Irradiation of the Rabbit on the Rejection of Homologous Skin Grafts and on the Immune Response¹

From the Departments of Bacteriology and Immunology, and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract

The effect of sublethal (400 r), midlethal (600 r), and near-lethal (1100 r) total body irradiation on the ability of rabbits to reject homologous skin grafts, to develop delayed hypersensitivity, and to form circulating antibodies to bovine -globulin and sheep erythrocytes was studied. Different intervals were allowed to elapse between x-irradiation and the presentation of antigens.

Maximum prolongation of skin graft rejection time occurred with 400 r when grafting was done on the same day as irradiation. A 2-fold increase in the median rejection time was observed, and the occasional animal retained its graft for as long as 7 to 10 times the normal. No great advantage appears to be gained by increasing the radiation dose from 400 to 600 r and it is possible that prolongation of skin graft rejection time by irradiation can be as well obtained with a sublethal as with a midlethal dose of irradiation. The time between irradiation and grafting appears to be as critical as the dose of irradiation.

The temporal results with the other antigens were similar to those with skin grafts.

Footnotes

This work was supported in part by a grant from the Atomic Energy Commission and by Grant H-2791 from the United States Public Health Service.

² Present address: Division of Experimental Pathology, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California.