Quantitation of immunoglobulin-bearing lymphocytes and the lymphocyte response to PHA in experimental pyelonephritis

In these experiments the effect of experimental pyelonephritis on the distri-ution of B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and lymphoid sites in the rat has been determined and the functional capacity of T cells during the course of infection has been investigated. The studies have shown that renal infection affects the distribution of lymphocytes and has a marked effect on the functional capacity of splenic T lymphocytes early in infection. Most of the lymphocytes forming the round cell infiltrate in the kidney have been identified as thymus-derived lymphocytes on their surface labelling characteristics. Evidence is presented to demonstrate the inability of T lymphocytes to function normally in the environment of the kdiney. It is suggested that ablation of cell-mediated immunity may be a factor contributing to the persistence of renal infection.