RATIO-DOMINANCE MODEL OF SUPPRESSION - AN ANALYSIS BY LIMITING DILUTION

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (2) , 407-413
Abstract
A theoretical framework is presented which explores 2 models of suppressor cell-target cell interactions in T-dependent antibody responses. The first is the full-dominance model, in which a single or limited number of suppressor cells can entirely suppress an immune response irrespective of the multiplicity of other effector cells present. The second is the ratio-dominance model, in which a suppressor cell is capable of inactivating only a certain number of target cells. The multiplicity of target cells in a given microculture well influences the degree of suppression. Both models are evaluated using limiting dilution analysis, 2 systems are explored. In the 1st model, [mouse] suppressor cells alone are titrated into microculture wells containing all other cells required for an immune response. In the second, suppressor cells are added from populations containing a mixture of helper T cells and suppressor cells. This latter type of analysis is similar to that in which populations of T cells primed to alloantigens in mixed lymphocyte cultures are analyzed for positive (help) and negative (suppression) allogeneic effects. The analysis allows the conclusion that such suppressor cells operate via a mechanism best described by a ratio-dominance model.