51Chromium-release microassay technique for cell-mediated immunity to mumps virus: correlation with humoral and...

Lymphocyte-mediated immune responsiveness to mumps virus was studied with use of a 51chromium (51Cr)-release microassay of lymphocytotoxicity to target cells persistently infected with mumps virus. The release of 51Cr from immune cells was found to be virus-specific and reproducible and correlated well with the presence of antibody but not with the magnitude of antibody levels. Delayed-type skin hypersensitivity and specific immune release of 51Cr did not correlate well, which suggests that the two events may be mediated by different populations of cells.