Allergy to staphylococcus and lymphocyte subpopulations. I. Hypersensibility of two types to staphylococcus and...

Guinea pigs were sensitized either with dead bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain or by its soluble ultrasonic antigen. With the dead bacteria delayed hypersensitivity (DH) was observed, whereas immediate hypersensitivity (IH) was observed with soluble antigens. Changes in lymphocyte subpopulation distributions in peripheral blood and in some lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen, lymph nodes) were studied. The number of total and "active" T lymphocytes in blood and in most lymph nodes increased, in both DH and IH. The increase was particularly significant in delayed hypersensitivity. In the thymus the number of these cells was decreased. Changes in the level of B lymphocytes estimated as cell bearing receptors for complement components were quite different in DH and IH. A low level of B lymphocytes was noted in peripheral blood but not in most of the lymph nodes in IH.