Effects of microflora antigens on lymphocyte migration patterns in germfree and conventional rats

The aim of this work was to help to explain the role of antigen in the migration pattern of lymphoid cells by using the possibility to work with GF and CONV inbred rats. Our findings indicate that: The homing of 51Cr-labelled cells from PP into different organs of GF and CONV rats was comparable. The homing of MLN cells into the gut and salivary glands was three times higher than homing of PLN cells. The homing of MLN cells of CONV rats into the gut of CONV rats is higher in comparison with the homing into the gut of GF rats. The changes in blood flow do not seem to have any influence on the homing activity because MLN cells from GF rats migrate comparably to the gut of GF and CONV animals. Higher localization of MLN cells from CONV rats in the gut of CONV rats (as compared with these cells from GF donors) seems to be a result of antigen activation of these cells. Our results imply that antigens of microflora present in the intestine enhance the homing of MLN cells into the gut provided that these cells were activated by microflora antigens.