Ontogeny of mouse lymphocyte function. II. Development of the ability to produce antibody is modulated by T lymphocytes.
The relative functional maturity of neonatal mouse spleen T- and B-cell populations was assessed by comparing the ability to respond to the thymic-independent antigen, DNP-Ficoll, or thymic-dependent SRBC by producing antibody in vitro. Although mouse spleen cells responded to DNP-Ficoll at an earlier age than they responded to SRBC or TNP-SRBC, the reason for the lag in the T-dependent response was confounded by the finding of high numbers of suppressor T lymphocytes in the neonatal spleen. Thus, small numbers of neonatal spleen T cells or thymocytes significantly decreased the in vitro antibody response of adult spleen cells. Although B lymphocytes appear to be functionally mature soon after birth, their acitivity may be modulated by an excess of suppressor T cells; e.g., the reconstitution of helper cell function in the neonatal spleen required anti-theta treatment before addition of adult helper cells. Suppressive activity attributable to T cells seems to play a dominant role in determining the ability of the neonatal animal to react positively or negatively to antigenic stimulation.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000941:Antigens; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004140:Dinitrophenols / Q000276:immunology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008239:Lysine / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D004140:Dinitrophenols; D008239:Lysine