Cell-mediated immunity caused by beryllium compounds.

Cells of spleen and lymph nodes were obtained from mice subcutaneously injected with BeCl2 once a week over a 6-week period. These cells were washed twice in cold phosphate-buffered saline and suspended at a final concentration of 2 x 10(7) cells in 1 ml of buffer. Subsequently, 0.5 ml of the suspension was injected into normal mice intravenously (passive transfer). The findings of the experiments using these mice are summarized as follows: (1) The footpad reaction test was performed 24 hrs after passive transfer. The mice receiving spleen cells or lymph node cells from mice sensitized with BeCl2 developed significant footpad swelling 24 and 48 hrs after challenge of BeCl2 as the antigen. (2) After passive transfer with sensitized spleen cells or lymph node cells the ears of the mice were painted with 7% BeCl2 in ethyl alcohol. Ears of these mice showed significant swelling as compared with those of controls. (3) The migration of peritoneal cells from mice receiving spleen or lymph node cells from sensitized mice was inhibited when tested in medium containing the antigen of BeCl2. From our present experiments, it was suggested that the beryllium sensitizing ability was related to active as well as passive cell-mediated immunity.