Regulation of delayed‐type hypersensitivity I. T suppressor cells for delayed‐type hypersensitivity to sheep erythrocytes in mice

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mice injected with 1 x 108 sheep red blood cells (SRBC) into the footpad showed high levels of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to SRBC 4-8 days after the injection. In contrast, mice injected intravenously with 1 x 109 SRBC were unresponsive to DTH induction through 1 x 108 SRBC injected into the footpad. This suppression of DTH was maintained for at least 6 weeks and was transferable by spleen, lymph node and thymus cells to normal syngeneic recipients. Bone marrow cells, on the other hand, did not contain the suppressor cells. The suppression of DTH was antigen-specific in that DTH to chicken red blood cells and contact sensitivity to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene was not affected. The suppressor cells were theta-positive and Ig-negative. They appeared in the spleen in optimum number 3–4 days after induction. The suppressor cells affected both the induction and manifestation of DTH. The presence of suppressor and effector cells for DTH inducible by different routes of antigenic presentation reflects the dynamic balance in the regulation of DTH.