title: T cell regulation of the antibody response to bacterial polysaccharide antigens: an examination of some general characteristics and their implications.
abstract: The characteristics of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes that regulate the magnitude of the antibody response to the capsular polysaccharide antigen of type III Streptococcus pneumoniae are considered within the context of a general homeostatic model for controlling the antibody response to microbial antigens of medical importance. Some experimental approaches are described in which the activities of such regulatory T cells are modulated to provide an increase in the development of host immunity, to improve the immunogenicity of poorly immunogenic antigens, or to eliminate the inhibitory effects of suppressor T cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C026604:pneumococcal polysaccharide, type III