Effects of presensitization in vivo on cell-mediated responses to embryonic antigens in vitro

Lymphoid cells specifically reactive with antigens shared by rat bowel carcinomas and mid-term embryo cells were generated by in vitro culture on monolayers of embryo cells. Spleen cells from WF females were cultured for 5 days on monolayers of syngeneic embryo cells or adult cells and assayed for cytotoxic activity on syngeneic embryo, bowel carcinoma, or adult fibroblast target cells in microcytotoxicity and 51Cr-release assays. After culture on embryo monolayers, spleen cells were cytotoxic for embryo and tumor but not for adult fibroblast target cells. Enhanced cytotoxicity was recorded when the spleen cells were cultured from females after interstrain (WF X BN) pregnancy rather than from virgin females. In contrast, previous intrastrain (WF X WF) pregnancy appeared to depress the generation of spleen cells cytotoxic for target cells bearing embryonic antigens.