TOLERANCE AND CONTACT SENSITIVITY TO DNFB IN MICE .6. INHIBITION OF AFFERENT SENSITIVITY BY SUPPRESSOR T-CELLS IN ADOPTIVE TOLERANCE

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 117  (3) , 802-806
Abstract
Tolerance in contact sensitivity to DNFB [dinitrofluorobenzene] can be adoptively transferred to normal mice with lymph node cells from tolerant donors. This tolerance is antigen specific and is mediated by T [thymus-derived] cells, i.e., suppressor T cells. The mechanism(s) by which the suppressor T cells induce tolerance to DNFB contact sensitivity was investigated. The suppressor cells were effective only if they were present during the early stages of the afferent limb of sensitization. As measured by DNA synthesis, cell proliferation in the draining lymph nodes of recipients of suppressor cells was significantly less than in control animals, indicating that the suppressor cells acted, at least in part, by limiting or inhibiting DNFB-induced cell proliferation. This inhibition was antigen specific since the DNFB suppressor cells did not inhibit cell proliferation induced by oxazolone, an unrelated contact sensitizer. The ability of DNFB tolerant cells to block afferent sensitization pathways differs from the mechanism of tolerance to picryl chloride where efferent pathways are blocked.

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