Induction and in Vitro demonstration of cellular immunity to DNA and RNA viruses in guinea-pigs.

Guinea-pigs were immunized with different cells infected with vaccinia virus, herpes simplex virus type 1, herpesvirus saimiri, and the virus of vesicular stomatitis. Development of cellular immunity against these viruses was observed with transformation of blood and spleen lymphocytes and with the migration inhibition test using peritoneal exudate cells. Cellular immunity against vaccinia virus was first seen 6 days after the inoculation of cell-bound vaccinia virus by lymphocyte transformation. The avtivation of the vaccinia virus specific cellular immune response could be induced with tissue culturrus. Since infectious virus particles are not synthesized within this time period, it is likely that virus-induced antigens in the cell surface are active in production of cellular immunity. Vaccines from heterologous host cells were more effective inducers of an immune response than syngeneic cell cultures. For in vitro testing of cellular immunity to viruses, viral antigens could be used in both infective and inactivated form. Delayed hypersensitivity to viral antigens was always accompanied by immune reactions to the host cells used for virus propagation.