Enhanced transfer of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis with Lewis rat lymph node cells.

Lewis rat lymph node cells (LNC) are greatly enhanced in their ability to transfer experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) after culture with myelin basic protein (BP). As few as 10(6) LNC transfer disease after culture with antigen. In contrast to spleen cells, enhanced transfer with LNC is not seen after culture with concanavalin A. Neither cell homogenates nor culture supernatants were capable of transferring EAE. Removal of B-cells had no adverse effect on disease transfer. LNC capable of enhanced transfer were found in rats after recovery from, as well as at the height of, clinical disease.