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EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THYMIC FUNCTION IN NZB MICE AND THE F1 HYBRIDS WITH C3H
Author(s) -
Holmes Margaret C,
Burnet FM
Publication year - 1964
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1964.55
Subject(s) - thymectomy , spleen , serology , biology , autoantibody , germinal center , immunology , medicine , endocrinology , myasthenia gravis , antibody , b cell
Summary (1) Complete thymectomy in NZB mice in the first few days of life results in death of about 60 per cent over the period 45–250 days. (2) Surviving mice show only a moderato 2–3 months′ delay in developing n positive Coombs test. This is also seen when thymectotny is done at 4–8 weeks of age. (3) Isologous thymic grafts to neonatally thymectomized NZB mice develop germinal centres in normal fashion. (4) Isologous thymus grafts to intact 4–8 week NZB mice show excessive development of lesions in a high proportion of females, and, in grafts to older mice already Coombs positive, the appearance of lesions in the grafts is accelerated. (5) Grafting of NZB spleen or thymus to F1 (NZB × C3H) hybrids produced no acceleration of Coombs conversion. There was a positive correlation of the intensity of lesions in host thymus and graft. (6) The findings are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that the cells responsible for autoimmune manifestations arise by somatic mutation.