Adoptive transfer of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) with in vitro activated lymph node cells from thyroglobulin-sensitized guinea pigs: characterization of the cell that transfers EAT.

Relatively low numbers of lymph node cells (LNC) from Strain 2 or Strain 13 guinea pigs sensitized with guinea pig thyroglobulin (GPTG) could transfer experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) to normal syngeneic recipients after in vitro culture with GPTG. The EAT induced in recipients of cultured LNC was similar in incidence and severity to EAT induced by active immunization with GPTG in complete Freund's adjuvant. The cells that were effective in transferring EAT were shown to be immunoglobulin-negative, nylon wool nonadherent, and Ia-negative. The effector cells were sensitive to irradiation after in vitro activation, indicating that cell proliferation in the recipient is required for development of EAT. Recipient animals often developed moderate to severe lesions of EAT yet none had detectable delayed hypersensitivity to GPTG and the majority also had no detectable anti-GPTG antibody.