Differences in [3H]-thymidine uptake of lymph node cells stimulated by Con A and PHA in H-2 congenic mouse strains.

The genetic control of the lymphocyte responsiveness to Con A and PHA-P has been studied by using inbred, H-2 congenic mouse strains. Segregation studies were carried out on F1 and backcross mice of a high and a low responder strain. According to the results, there is a strong correlation between the responsiveness of lymph node cells to mitogens and H-2 haplotypes in different H-2 congenic strains of mice and in different backcross generations. High responsiveness to PHA-P is associated with H-2b, while low responsiveness with H-2a or H-2k haplotypes, but the correlation is the inverse in response to Con A, in the parental strains and backcross mice as well. The magnitude of the responses to both Con A and PHA-P was found to be intermediate in F1 heterozygotes of a low and high responder parental strain. The effect of other non H-2 genes on the responsiveness to these mitogens has also been demonstrated.