Particulate antigens may be reprocessed after initial phagocytosis for presentation to T cells in vivo

Macrophages were pulsed with Listeria monocytogenes antigens by intraperitoneal injection prior to harvesting and thoroughly washing the cells. The pulsed macrophages were injected into the feet of Listeria-immune or naive mice to elicit a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Where soluble Listeria antigen was used, presentation by donor macrophages to host T cells required identity within the I region of the H-2 complex. However, presentation of alcohol-killed Listeria organisms or of a living, temperature-sensitive mutant of Listeria was apparently not H-2 restricted. When T cells enriched in vitro for Listeria reactivity were injected into the feet of naive mice, they reacted in an H-2 restricted manner to antigen presented to them either by the pulsed macrophages or host cells apparently acquiring antigen from the original pulsed macrophages.