title: CD4+ suppressor cells differentially affect the production of IFN-gamma by effector cells of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
abstract: Spleen cells from rats that have recovered from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) suppress the production of IFN-gamma by effector T cells of EAE in an Ag-specific manner. These postrecovery suppressor cells also inhibit EAE in vivo. Fractionation of the postrecovery suppressor spleen cells on nylon wool and OX-8 coated plates yields a nylon wool-adherent CD4+ suppressor cell population that, when cocultured with effector T cells, suppresses IFN-gamma production by these effector cells. In contrast, the nylon wool-adherent, CD4+ postrecovery suppressor cell population fails to inhibit the production of IL-2 by the effector T cells. In further experiments, the effector T cell population was depleted of CD8+ cells and cocultured with the nylon wool-adherent, CD4+ postrecovery suppressor cells, and the supernatants were assayed for IFN-gamma and IL-2. IFN-gamma production was inhibited in these cultures but IL-2 production was not inhibited. Irradiated effector T cells were cocultured with CD4+ postrecovery suppressor cells, without myelin basic protein, in an effort to determine whether the mechanism of differential lymphokine suppression involved an anti-idiotypic response against effector T cells. No IL-2 was produced, indicating that there was no CD4+ suppressor cell mediated anti-idiotypic response against effector T cells. These studies suggest that the suppressor cell is a nylon wool adherent, CD4+ T cell that functions to down-regulate EAE effector T cells by differential inhibition of lymphokine production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Karpus
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Swanborg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma