Mechanisms of immune depression as delayed radiaiton effects

The immune deficiency of mice one month after exposure to a dose of 400 R cannot be related to the state of their lymphoid tissue since the recovery of the number of T-and B-cells was almost completed by that time. It was shown that functional activity of T- and B-lymphocytes and the level of suppressorible cells, induced by immunization, are normal. At the same time, adhesive cells are functionally defective whereas other radioresistant components of the spleen enhance the immune response. Thus, the disturbance of the immune response to a thymus-dependent antigen, as observed one month following irradiation, is primarily attributable to nonlymphoid components of the spleen