IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE ACTION OF MITOMYCIN C ON LYMPHOID CELLS .I. EFFECT ON CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNITY AFTER IN VITRO TREATMENT, TOLERANCE INDUCTION, AND RECOVERY IN VIVO

Treatment of immunocompetent parental strain lymphoid cells in vitro with Mitomycin C prevented onset of graft-terstif-host reaction (immediate or delayed) after injection of these cells into young F1 hybrids. Employing an appropriate transfer system it could be demonstrated that 6–8 weeks after injection of the Mitomycin C-treated cells members of this population are surviving in the recipient and are able to react to antigens other than those of the host in which they have become tolerant. By comparing this result to those obtained after injection of a low dose of untreated parental spleen cells and a high dose of fetal liver cells(in the same experimental scheme) it is concluded that the treated lymphoid cells are able to become tolerant to the surrounding antigens while regaining reactivity to third party antigen in the recipient. The potential importance of these observations for reconstitutional approaches in certain immune deficiencies is discussed. © 1969 S. Karger AG, Basel.