THE EXPRESSION OF IDIOTYPIC DETERMINANTS ON SUPPRESSOR T-CELLS IS INDEPENDENT OF T-CELL IGH GENOTYPE

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 1  (5) , 293-304
Abstract
To investigate the role played by Ig in the display of idiotope-like determinants by T cells, it was examined whether T cells transferred to congenically athymic mice would display the idiotypes of the nude host or of the T cell donor Igh genotype. 4-Hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl hapten (NP)-specific 1st-order suppressor T cells (Ts1) from Ighb-bearing mice display the NPb idiotype. Mature peripheral T cells from Igh congenic mice were used for reconstitution of nude mice in acute transfers. Before analyzing the idiotypic properties of the T cells in this system, it was verified, using Thy-1 congenic strains, that the suppressor T cells induced were effectively derived from the transferred T cells and not from the host. The following strains of mice were selected for these studies: C57BL/6 (Ighb), B6.Ighn and C57BL nu/nu. The NP-specific suppressor T cells generated in C57BL nu/nu mice reconstituted with T cells derived from Igh congenic B6.Ighn donors were investigated. Suppressor T cells were induced by i.v. administration of 104 NP-coupled B6.Ighn adherent cells. Six days later, the spleen cells from the reconstituted nude mice were treated with anti-NPb antibodies and complement before being transferred to C57Bl/6 recipients immediately prior to antigen priming. Treatment with anti-idiotypic reagents depleted suppressor cell activity, which indicates that the suppressor cells obtained from C57BL/6 mice or C57BL nu/nu mice that were reconstituted with B6.Ighn T cells bear NPb idiotype-related determinants. The data further demonstrate that the idiotype-related determinants expressed on NP-specific Ts1 are controlled not by the Ighn gneotype of the T cell donor, but by the genotype of the C57BL nu/nu (Ighb) recipient host. The NP-specific suppressor T cells generated in C57BL nu/nu mice reconstituted with B6.Ighn mature T cells display the operational Igh restrictions of C57BL/6 mice and not of B6.Ighn mice. These experiments demonstrate how idiotypic elements expressed on the Ig of the host influence the specificity of the antigen receptor on T cells. Normally, Ts1 from B6.Ighn mice lack the NPb idiotype-related determinants and their suppressive activity is operationally restricted by the Ighn allotype. Mature B6.Ighn T cells selected to respond to NP in C57BL nu/nu recipients display idiotype-related determinants and restriction specificities characteristic of the C57BL (Ighb) host. Thus, the environment in which Ts1 are induced and selected affects the Ts1 repertoire. Evidently, subsets of regulatory T cells are specific for Ig idiotypic determinants. It follows, based on Jerne''s network hypothesis, that the expression of Ig idiotopes on T cells specific for foreign antigens could reflect the expression of the postulated mirror image of Jerne''s theory.

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