Analysis of suppressor factor in delayed immune responses of a bat, Pteropus giganteus

Bat spleen and mesenteric lymph node cell cultures treated with varying doses of LPS showed significant blastogenic and DNA synthetic responses between 72-96h. Peak responses were not different when the cell culture medium was supplemented either with autologous serum or heterologous serum indicating the absence of any significant suppressor factor in autologous bat serum. In contrast, blastogenesis and DNA synthesis peaks appeared early, at 48h, in lymphocytes depleted of suppressor T cells by pretreatment with cyclophosphamide. Direct antibody producing cells against SRBC were studied in normal spleen and mesenteric lymph node cell cultures. The peak PFC response was lacking even at 120h while CY pretreated bat lymphocytes, showed peak PFC responses at 96h. Thus the delayed immune response in bats seems to be a function of suppressor T cells but serum suppressor factor(s) possibly exerts no significant effect. The function of suppressor cells in bats in relation to their role as carriers of several dreaded bacteria and viruses is discussed.