Correlation of human skin reactivity with lymphocyte transformation induced by mycobacterial antigens and histoplasmin.

Abstract

Peripheral leukocytes from human subjects with cutaneous sensitivity to tuberculin, PPD, M. intracellulare (Battey) antigen, and/or histoplasmin were exposed in vitro to each of these test antigens and three antigens prepared from atypical mycobacteria. The degree of transformation was determined by uptake of thymidine-3H. Cells from subjects who reacted only to 5 units of PPD were transformed specifically by PPD and not by the other antigens. Cells from subjects who reacted only to M. intracellulare antigen were transformed to the highest degree by this antigen and to a lesser degree by other mycobacterial antigens. Cells from subjects reacting only to histoplasmin were transformed by histoplasmin. However, cells from some subjects who reacted only to histoplasmin and not to 5 units of PPD or M. intracellulare antigen were transformed by other mycobacterial antigens.