Macrophage arming factor release by allografted mouse lymphocytes stimulated by phytohermgglutinin

Spleen cells from a C57BL/6 mouse allografted with DBA/2 skin may release a macrophage arming factor when stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. This in vitro nonspecific release is observed only when the recipient cells are collected during a limited period preceding or coinciding with graft rejection. The phenomenon disappears if the skin allograft has been removed before cell collection. It appears if an i.v. injection of donor cells is given to the recipient after graft removal, on the day preceding cell collection. These data suggest that this in vitro apparently nonspecific macrophage arming factor release by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated recipient cells may in fact disclose a previous specific in vivo immune cell triggering by graft antigens.