Clonal anergy induced in mature V beta 6+ T lymphocytes on immunizing Mls-1b mice with Mls-1a expressing cells.
Tolerance to self-antigens has been shown to develop during ontogeny as a result of the clonal deletion of self-reactive T cells. Tolerance, or better 'nonresponsiveness', to specific antigens can also be induced in adult animals but the mechanism(s) involved are not well understood. Most murine T-helper cells that express the V beta 6 T-cell receptor gene segment are specific for Mls-1a antigens. We have therefore been able to use an anti-V beta 6 monoclonal antibody to follow the fate of Mls-1a specific T cells in adult Mls-1b mice made specifically unresponsive to Mls-1a. We show that the induced unresponsiveness is not due to clonal deletion, but rather to clonal anergy. The anergic V beta 6 T-helper cells express IL-2 receptors and undergo limited blastogenesis in vitro upon stimulation, but do not produce IL-2, in marked contrast to V beta 6 cells from naive mice. Our data appear to represent an in vivo correlate for the induction of anergy that has been observed in T-cell lines in vitro.
Rammensee
H G
HG
Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Abteilung Immungenetik, Tübingen, FRG.
Kroschewski
R
R
Frangoulis
B
B
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell