Macrophage migration inhibition studies of lymphocytes taken from guinea-pigs suffering from experimental polymyositis.

An experimental form of polymyositis, induced in guinea-pigs by means of injections of rabbit muscle homogenate in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), had been investigated with a view to the analysis of the role of cellular immune response in this disease. We have used the direct macrophage migration inhibition test on peritoneal exudate cells taken from myositic animals, so as to identify those components of muscle against which lymphocytes of myositic animals are sensitized. These lymphocytes were found to be sensitized principally against the myofibrillar fraction of muscle. Moreover, when tested against purified myofibrillar proteins, they were found to be strongly sensitized against myosin and tropomyosin, but not against troponin. A similar migration inhibition technique is now being developed for use as a diagnostic and investigatory tool in the study of human polymyositis.