Studies on the transfer of lymph node cells. IV. Effects of X-irradiation of recipient rabbits on the appearance of antibody after cell transfer.

Cells of the popliteal lymph node were teased 3 days after the injection of Shigella paradysenteriae into the hind foot pads of rabbits. These cells were transferred to normal and x-irradiated recipients. It was noted that the serum titers of dysentery agglutinins in irradiated recipients were higher than in normal recipients. This was represented both in a higher peak: titer and a tendency to remain higher for a longer period than in normal animals. Recipients were x-irradiated within 1 hour after receiving cells of the lymph node prepared as indicated above. The serum titers of these recipients were markedly reduced in comparison with those of non-irradiated control animals. If the irradiation of the recipients followed the transfer of cells by a day, however, this difference was much smaller and in the case of a 2 day interval after the transfer of the lymph node cells the irradiation appeared to have no effect on the resulting serum titer.