Intravenous injection of allogeneic cells can prime T-lymphocytes with cytotoxic activity.

The possibility of specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)2 induction was shown upon intravenous (i.v.) immunization of mice with 9 x 10(7) irradiated (2000 rad) allogeneic splenocytes. The induced CTL express the cell surface markers Thy1.2+, L3T4- and Lyt2+. No correlation between the level of cytotoxic activity and the ability to inhibit proliferation was shown in populations of lymphocytes, primed both by i.v. immunization and in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). The possible role of cytotoxic activity in down-regulation of the immune response is discussed.