In vitro spleen leucocyte migration and phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte transformation of immunosuppressed mice cells. II. Cells from mice treated by azathioprine and/or immune stimulation or thymectomy.

An study of the spleen leucocyte migration ability and the phytohaemag-glutinin (PHA) stimulated peripheral lymphocyte response was made on cells derived from mice treated by azathioprine, immune stimulation, or thymectomy and azathioprine. These responses were compared with those shown by normal mice and found to be considerably depressed. Thymectomy combined with azathioprine produced the greatest change which persisted at 40 days. These changes suggested that azathioprine in common with thymectomy, antilymphocyte globulin and radiotherapy produced some of its immunosuppression by depressing T-cell function.