A fail-safe mechanism for maintaining self-tolerance.
Using cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses to the class I histocompatibility antigen Qa1 and to the minor histocompatibility antigen H-Y, we show that the immune system maintains a peripheral screening process that is able to tolerize a wide variety of potentially autoimmune CTL. The critical factor is the presence or absence of specific T helper cells. If T help is available, CTL precursors that recognize antigen are activated. In the absence of help, they are tolerized. Thus, T helper cells are guardians of peripheral tolerance in CTL.
Guerder
S
S
Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
Matzinger
P
P
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000378:metabolism; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D006241:Haptens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C032907:Q surface antigens