Tolerance induction during ontogeny. I. Presence of active suppression in mice rendered tolerant to human gamma-globulin in utero correlates with the breakdown of the tolerant state.
A specific state of T- and B-cell tolerance to human gamma-globulin (HGG) was induced in utero by intravenous administration of the deaggregated antigen to pregnant BALB/cCr mice. Tolerance persisted in the offspring until the 12th-wk of age and then began to gradually disappear. Suppressor cells could only be found when responsiveness to HGG ultimately appeared in the in utero-treated animals but not when they were completely unresponsives. In contrast, HGG-specific suppressors found in animals made unresponsive to HGG as adults appear to be associated with either the establishment and/or maintenance of the unresponsive state. To the extent that these experiments are consistent with natural self-tolerance to a serum protein, we conclude that active suppression is not a prerequisite from maintenance of unresponsiveness to self.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011247:Pregnancy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000276:immunology*
D005719:gamma-Globulins