Regulation of the T15 idiotype‐positive, T‐independent immune response to Streptococcus pneumoniae R36 a(Pn). I. Specific suppressor T cells induced by Pn in vitro are antigen‐specific and idiotype‐positive

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Abstract
Normal BALB/c spleen cells incubated for 2 days with Streptococcus pneumoniae R 36 a (Pn) vaccine in vitro acquired the specific ability to inhibit the T‐independent anti‐Pn response of fresh lymphocytes. The activated suppressor cells were susceptible to cytotoxic treatment with mouse anti‐theta serum plus complement, and they inhibited the anti‐Pn response of B lymphocytes deprived of T cells. The suppressive effect was eliminated by adsorbtion of cells on dishes coated with the C polysac‐charide from Pn, and treatment of the suppressor cells with a rabbit antibody specific for TEPC‐15 myeloma protein, in the presence of complement, abolished the suppressive effect. The results indicate that stimulation of lymphocytes with a T‐independent antigen in vitro activates suppressor T cells bearing a specific antigen receptor that may express the idiotype(s) characteristic of anti‐Pn antibody, and that these cells inhibit the Pn‐reactive B cells directly.

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