Effects of X-irradiation and thymectomy on the immune response of the marine teleost, Sebastiscus marmoratus.

Effects of X-irradiation and thymectomy on the immune response of the rock fish, S. marmoratus were studied. Animals were thymectomized and irradiated at the dose of 2000 R. In non-thymectomized and irradiated fish, injected with SRBC one week after irradiation, antibody production was completely suppressed and they required twice the time for rejection of scales allografted three days after irradiation. On the other hand, fish which were irradiated four days after thymectomy and injected one week after irradiation, showed a fairly high level of antibody, although, in the allograft rejection, no significant difference was observed when compared to the irradiated fish. Furthermore, animals thymectomized, irradiated and autoimplanted showed higher production of antibody when immunized three months after irradiation compared to matched controls. In the same manner, in the allograft rejection, a slight restoration was found in fish reconstituted with a non-irradiated thymus. From these results, it is considered that, as in mammals, the adult thymus of fish plays an important role in recovery from the damage to the immune system caused by irradiation. Furthermore, a combination of X-irradiation and thymectomy suggests that suppressor T-cells which are resistant to X-rays exist in the fish thymus.