MICROVASCULAR ALTERATIONS IN THE LYMPH NODE DURING THE BCG-INDUCED IMMUNE RESPONSE

BJ Hillman, PG Herman, WM Baldwin

Abstract


Previous studies have shown significant microvascular  changes  during  the  evolution  of  the  immune

response. In order to assess the BCG-induced micro­ vascular alterations  in  the  lymph  node,  we  injected the left foot pad of 23 rabbit s with 1.6  x  10 6  live BCG/kg  weight; the  right  side  served  as control.

Following a period of 1 to 50 days, microangio­ graphy and histology of the popliteal lymph nodes were carried out. On the side where BCG was injected, the lymph nodes initially showed a moderately increased cortical, and later, a markedly increased meduliary hypervascularity. Histologically, there  was  mixed  mononuclear  cellular  infiltration followed by granuloma formation. This latter was temporally related to the florid medullary hypervascularity. No significant changes were present on the control side. The hypervascularity  induced  by BCG was more intense and longer lasting than that seen  with  other  antigens such as Typhoid  O or bovine serum  albumin.

The results indicate a prominent vascular component in the BCG-induced primary immune response within the regional lymph node.


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