Isolated thyroid follicles of C57BL/6J mice were treated with anti-dendritic cell antibody plus complement in order to eliminate dendritic cells. The follicles were transplanted under the renal capsule of BALB/c mice. Acceptance of the grafts was verified by both histological study and the incorporation of 125I into the grafts 100 days after transplantation. Allografts treated with complement were rejected, whereas allografts treated with the antibody plus complement were accepted. These findings indicate that dendritic cells, but not other Ia positive cells, play a crucial role in the induction of rejection in mouse thyroid allografts, and that the deletion of dendritic cells permits allografts to be accepted.
