MIXED LEUKOCYTE CULTURE REACTIVITY AND CHRONIC GRAFT‐VERSUS-HOST REACTIONS (SECONDARY DISEASE) BETWEEN ALLOGENEIC H‐2k MOUSE STRAINS

Chronic graft-versus-host (GVH) disease was induced in immunosuppressed AKR mice reconstituted with H-2k allogeneic bone marrow and lymph node cells derived from RF, CBA, C57Br/cd, 1310. R/SgSn, and C3H/He mouse strains. Severity of GVH disease thus induced was compared to mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) response of lymphocytes from these same mouse strains to mitomycin C-treated AKR spleen cells. Intensity of GVH disease ranged from mild to severe, although all transplant combinations were identical for the serologically defined antigens of the H-2k chromosome. Degree of MLC reactivity in vitro varied similarly and correlated well with the intensity of GVH disease. We conclude that MLC reactivity is predictive of degree of GVH disease in the mouse combinations used. The data suggest that MLC may be useful iii identifying the most suitable bone marrow donors from among HL-A-identical unrelated persons for patients lacking HL-A-identical siblings.