Development of cellular and humoral immunity in the respiratory tract of rabbits to Pseudomonas lipopolysaccharide.

Immunization with Pseudomonas lipopolysaccharide induced both cellular and humoral immunity in rabbits, particularly in the respiratory tract after intranasal immunization. Either parenteral (i.m.) or intranasal immunization elicited an IgG antibody response in respiratory secretions, but only intranasal immunization produced secretory IgA antibody. Immunization by both routes stimulated serum IgM and IgG agglutinative antibodies. Because both methods of immunization produced skin test reactivity which had components of both Arthus and tuberculin-like reactions, cellular immunity was more readily assessed by the measurement of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) released from immune lymphocytes in respiratory and spleen cell suspensions after challenge with the lipopolysaccharide antigen. After intranasal vaccination, MIF activity was detected in the respiratory tract by direct assay; in contrast, i.m. immunized rabbits did not produce respiratory MIF. Both modes of immunization resulted in splenic MIF activity. However, lymphocytes were only capable of producing MIF for short periods after primary immunization had ended, apparently losing this function in about 2-3 wk. Therefore, it was concluded that cellular immunity by in vitro assay was transient after primary immunization with this Pseudomonas antigen in contrast to the more persistent humoral immunity. The biological significance of immune lymphocytes as part of the coordinated host defense of the lung needs further evaluation.