Parabiosis of CBA Parental and (CBA-T6T6 × C57BL)F1 Mice

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1970-02, Vol.44 (2), p.237-255
• Main Authors: Jurin, M., Allegretti, N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia - etiology; Animals; Body Weight; Bone Marrow - pathology; Chimera; Leukocyte Count; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mycobacterium bovis; Parabiosis - adverse effects; Polycythemia - etiology; Spleen - pathology; Time Factors; Whole-Body Irradiation
• ISSN: 0027-8874; 1460-2105
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/44.2.237

This investigation explored the effect of altering the immunological reactivity of parental CBA mice before parabiosis with (CBA-T6T6 × C57BL)F1 hybrids. In 90% of the pairs the hybrids died first when they were joined to untreated CBA mice, but in 10% both mice died. Hybrids dying of parabiotic disease showed a decreased body weight, transient anemia, a lowered peripheral mononuclear leukocyte count, reduced splenic weight and cellularity, an increased incidence of parental cells in mitosis in the spleen, and lymphoid tissue atrophy. CBA partners had transient polycythemia, a lowered peripheral mononuclear leukocyte count, an increased splenic weight and cellularity, and few hybrid cells in mitosis in the spleen. Over 70% of the midlethally irradiated CBA parabionts died first when joined to F1 hybrids, and showed signs of parabiotic (allogeneic) disease. The lethally irradiated CBA mice were protected from death by parabiosis with hybrids. Nonspecific presensitization of CBA mice with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin or specific sensitization by C57BL skin allograft caused earlier death of hybrid parabionts. Both specifically presensitized and midlethally irradiated CBA parabionts had marked lymphoid atrophy. Pink-stained material resembling amyloid surrounded atrophic lymphatic follicles.