The characterization of the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to H-Y antigens.

We have evaluated the ability of certain inbred strains of mice to develop a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the male H-Y antigen. It was found that C57BL/10, B10.GD and B10.A(5R) female mice responded to syngeneic male cells. B10.A(4R) females also responded to B10.A(4R) male cells although the reactivity was somewhat slighter. B10.A(2R), B10.D2 and BALB/c female mice could not respond to immunization with syngeneic male cells. The response was male-antigen specific and transferable by thymus-derived cells. Moreover, suggestive evidence of representation of H-Y was obtained, based on the ability of responder strains immunized with syngeneic cells to react to nonresponder male cells upon challenge.