in vitro studies of allotype suppression in mice

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Abstract
Long‐term allotype suppression in (SJL x BALB/c)F1 mice has been investigated in vitro, using a culture system which can be maintained over a period of at least 2 weeks.Spleen cells from (SJL x BALB/c)F1 nonsuppressed mice, primed 2 to 5 months earlier, were cultured at a concentration of 3 x 106 cells together with 106 spleen or lymph node cells from suppressed or from nonsuppressed (control) mice and challenged in vitro with SRBC. Cultures were assayed on days 5, 8, 11, and 14 by the PFC assay, using specific anti‐allotype sera to develop indirect plaques.Cells from suppressed mice were extremely efficient in preventing a “b” allotype response of the primed cells in vitro, even though the “a” allotype response in the same cultures was unaffected. A time lapse of approximately one week in culture was required before suppression was very obvious. The suppressive effect was abolished by treatment of suppressor cells with anti‐θ serum. Evidence is presented that the suppressive effect is due to the production of a diffusible factor, rather than to a direct cell‐cell interaction.