The compartmentalization of antigen-reactive lymphocytes in desensitized guinea pigs.

A single injection of epsilon,DNP-Lys(7-10) can render previously sensitized guinea pigs specifically unreactive to subsequent intradermal challenge with that antigen. Antigen-reactive lymphocytes, as assayed by macrophage-migration in-inhibition or thymidine incorporation, were depleted from the peritoneal exudates of those animals. In contrast, it was intriguing to find that lymph node lymphocytes from such animals responded normally in the antigen-induced thymidine incorporation assay. These studies demonstrate a compartmentalization of antigen-reactive lymphocytes in desensitized animals which may account for the short-lived nature of this phenomenon.