In vitro evidence of cell mediated immunity after exposure of mice to both live and inactivated rabies virus

Abstract

Mice exposed to live or β-propiolactone-inactivated rabies virus generated a strong, specific cell-mediated cytotoxic response which was generally maximal 6 days after inoculation. Release of 51Cr was apparently a function of immune thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) because it was abrogated by prior incubation of spleen cells with anti-thymus antiserum and complement but was undiminished by passage of spleen cells through nylon-wool columns. Cytotoxicity was always maximal for interactions in which thymus-derived cells and targets shared H-2 genes but, unlike the situation found in other assays of this type, considerable lysis of allogeneic, virus-infected target cells may also occur. Per..