The inhibition of cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity reactions by a heterologous anti-guinea pig T cell serum.

Systemic treatment with a heterologous anti-T cell serum of guinea pigs immunized with EA in IFA markedly suppressed CBH reactivity to specific antigen and T cell mitogens, as judged by gross reactivity, histology, and skin histamine. The antiserum produced a marked drop in circulating lymphocytes, mainly at the expense of T cells, as indicated by the ability of surviving lymphocytes to rosette with rabbit RBC. It was postulated that the suppression of CBH reactivity is due to the depletion of T cells, which would have released a factor chemotactic for basophils. The data therefore provide further evidence that cutaneous reactions rich in basophils are primarily dependent on a population of T cells.