Mitochondria isolated from rat livers were used as a source of antigens capable of producing in vitro activation of lymphocytes that had previously been sensitized in vivo with the same antigen. Such lymphocytes were shown to have an injurious effect on target mitochondria, as was demonstrated by a new biochemical approach based on the study of the inhibition by these cells of mitochondrial respiratory control. A somewhat milder injurious capacity was also observed in normal and sensitized lymphocytes activated in vitro with the mitogen PHA. The alteration of the respiratory control of mitochondria by lymphocytes correlated with an increase in DNA synthesis in these cells.
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