Delayed hypersensitivity to polyoma and "self" antigens in syngeneic mice

Using the tail swelling test, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to tumor and self antigens accompanying the development of syngeneic polyoma tumor in CBA mice was observed. The soluble polyoma cell-surface antigen contained both polyoma and H-2k specificities and induced weak proliferation response of spleen cells in the presence of Il-2 in vitro. Appearance of a measurable tail swelling reaction at the side of the midtail, subcutaneous injection of the eliciting antigen not earlier than at 16th hour, maximum of swelling after 24 hours and the results of histological examination proved that the swelling was caused by a typical DTH to the antigens. Maximum DTH to both antigens occurred in the mice 6 days after polyoma cell transplantation (about 3 days before the appearance of palpable tumor) and weakened as the tumor progressed. DTH activity was transferred by spleen T lymphocytes to naive recipients. Five-day restimulation of splenocytes from polyoma transplanted donors with antigen in the presence of Il-2 led to an increase of antigen-lymphocytes affinity but resulted in a decrease of DTH activity of these cells. The mechanisms of these processes are still discussed.