Cross-reacting thymus and brain antigens in the cerebral cortex

Rabbit antisera against antigens of whole mouse, rabbit, guinea pig, and human brain were found to have a cross cytotoxic action on lymphocytes of the thymus, lymph nodes, and spleen of the animals of these species. Mouse thymus cells were the most sensitive (index of cytotoxicity 63–100%); the cells of other mouse lymphoid organs and lymphocytes of the other species of animals and man were more resistant. Bone marrow cells were not injured by any serum. Antigens responsible for the cytotoxic properties of the sera were found to be located in the human cerebral cortex and to be absent from the white matter and the brain stem.Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. I. Ioffe.Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 7, pp. 834–836, July, 1976.