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. 1983 Oct;50(2):199–205.

The mechanism of reduction of cell-mediated cytotoxicity in neonatally thymectomized mice.

H Kawauchi, K Taniguchi, C Kubo, Y Shimamoto, K Nomoto
PMCID: PMC1454350  PMID: 6225727

Abstract

The effect of neonatal thymectomy at various times after birth (Tx-1, Tx-7) on effector and suppressor T cells responsible for cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) for allogenic antigens was determined. Following in-vitro primary mixed lymphocyte cultures, in the absence of T-cell growth factor (TCGF), alloreactive CMC was not detected in spleen cells of Tx-1 mice, but was detected in spleen cells of Tx-7 mice at as high levels as in those of sham-operated mice. However, in the presence of TCGF, as much alloreactive CMC was detected in spleen cells of Tx-1 mice as in those of Tx-7 mice. Furthermore, TCGF production was not detected in spleen cells of Tx-1 mice but was detected in those of Tx-7 mice. In in-vivo experiments, inhibition of allogeneic tumour growth and CMC in spleen cells showed the same pattern as in in-vitro experiments. These results support the concept that the reduction of CMC in Tx-1 mice might be due to a defect in helper function (TCGF-producing capacity) rather than to a defect in cytotoxic T lymphocytes and/or cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors. Alloreactive suppressor T cells could not be induced in spleen cells of Tx-1 mice but were induced in spleen cells of Tx-7 mice. Therefore, it was suggested that alloreactive suppressor T cells require the presence of the thymus for 7 days after birth in their development.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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