Lymphocyte kinetics in a murine model of chronic inflammation

A modification of the air pouch system [1], has been developed to investigate the role of lymphocytes in an inmmunologically driven model of chronic inflammation. Radiolabelled spleen and lymph node mononuclear cells from mice presensitised with Bordatella pertussis vaccine (BPV) were infused intravenously into mice also presensitised with BPV and challenged with BPV into 6 day old air pouches. Cell migration was monitored by gamma counting of tissues sampled 4 hours after infusion. The percentage increase in counts obtained in air pouch tissue compared to control skin, over a time course of 30 days, reached a peak at 10 days after BPV challenge. Vessels with features of high endothelial venules, and clusters of lymphocytes have been demonstrated histologically and immunohistochemically in air pouch tissue at this time.