Suppression of cell‐mediated lymphocytotoxicity against minor histocompatibility antigens mediated by Lyt‐1+Lyt−2+ T cells of stimulator‐strain origin

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Cultured, unprimed spleen cells suppress the generation of cytolytic T lymphocytes when added to mixed lymphocyte culture of cells disparate at minor histocompatibility (H) loci. Cells cultured for 2 to 3 days inhibit cell‐mediated lympholysis specifically in that they suppress only when they carry the same H antigen by which the stimulators activate the responding cells. However, culturing of cells for more than 3 days results also in the generation of nonspecific suppressor cells which inhibit the cell‐mediated lympholysis regardless whether they carry the stimulating antigens. The specific suppressor cells are T lymphocytes of the Lyt‐l+Lyt−2+ type. Fresh, uncultured spleen cells, although ineffective in vitro, can prevent the in vivo priming of minor H‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors when injected i.v. into mice incompatible at minor H loci. This suppressive effect of the immunizing inoculum is abolished by irradiation (3300 rds) or by treatment with a monoclonal Thy‐1‐specific antibody and complement. Thus the suppressor T cell demonstrated here is of the “veto” cell type; that is, it probably suppresses minor H‐specific cells when the latter recognize the stimulating antigen on the surface of the suppressor cell itself.

This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit: