Cell-Mediated Immunity Caused by Beryllium Compounds.

Cells of spleen and lymph nodes were obtained from mice subcutaneously injected with BeCl₂ once a week over a 6-week period. These cells were washed twice in cold phosphate-buffered saline and suspended at a final concentration of 2 × 10⁷ cells in 1 ml of buffer. Subsequently, 0.5 ml of the suspension was injected into normal mice intravenously (passive transfer). The findings of the experiments using these mice are summarized as follows: (1) The footpad reaction test was performed 24 hrs after passive transfer. The mice receiving spleen cells or lymph node cells from mice sensitized with BeCl₂ developed significant footpad swelling 24 and 48 hrs after challenge of BeCl₂ as the antigen. (2) After passive transfer with sensitized spleen cells or lymph node cells the ears of the mice were painted with 7% BeCl₂ in ethyl alcohol. Ears of these mice showed significant swelling as compared with those of controls. (3) The migration of peritoneal cells from mice receiving spleen or lymph node cells from sensitized mice was inhibited when tested in medium containing the antigen of BeCl₂. From our present experiments, it was suggested that the beryllium sensitizing ability was related to active as well as passive cell-mediated immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]