title: Nylon adherent antigen-specific rosette-forming T cells.
abstract: Shortly after intravenous immunization of mice with heterologous erythrocytes (RBC) antigen-specific Thy 1+ cells which form rosettes with the immunizing RBC (thymic-derived lymphocytes-forming rosettes [T-RFC]) appear in the spleen. These T-RFC are much less stable than Thy 1- RFC (non-thymic-derived [B-RFC]) although most if not all of both classes of RFC adhere to nylon. T-RFC are induced with low doses of antigen (which fail to induce B-RFC) and are inhibited by higher antigen doses which are optimal for induction of B-RFC. Pretreatment of mice with cyclophosphamide prevents the high dose inhibition of T-RFC. Although there are many parallels between the production of T-RFC and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) it is unlikely that the T-RFC are essential for DTH reactions since DTH can be transferred with cells which pass through nylon, and such cells are almost totally depleted of T-RFC. Thus immunization can lead to the production of large numbers of antigen-specific T-RFC whose functional role in the immune response is unknown. However, the characteristics of the T-RFC suggest that they may play an important role in amplification of suppressor cell activity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002469:Cell Separation; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005976:Glutaral