Mechanism of Action of Suppressor Cells

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Abstract
The addition of a small proportion (10%) of in vivo concanavalin‐A (Con‐A)‐activated spleen cells to normal spleen cell cultures suppressed the primary immune response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) but had no effect on the thymus‐independent primary immune response to 3,5‐dinitro‐4‐hydroxy‐phenacetyl‐conjugated lipopolysaccharide. When Con‐A‐activated cells were added after 24 h, there was no suppression of the anti‐SRBC response but rather an enhanced response when few cells were admixed. Con‐A‐activated cells did not influence activation of normal cells by polyclonal T‐ and B‐cell activators, ft is concluded that Con‐A‐induced suppressor cells do not act on B cells but rather on helper cells (T tells or macrophages) at a very early stage of the immune response to thymus dependent antigens.