title: Examination of the differential characteristics of amplifier and contrasuppressor T cells.
abstract: Vicia villosa lectin-adherent Lyt-1+ spleen cells, obtained 4 days after immunization with an optimally immunogenic dose (0.5 micrograms) of Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III), increased the magnitude of the antibody response of mice to SSS-III upon transfer to recipients also immunized with the same antigen; however, the ability to demonstrate such enhancement depended greatly upon when such cells were transferred relative to immunization of recipients. Lectin-adherent cells augmented the antibody response of athymic nude (nu/nu) mice to SSS-III, and abrogated the expression - but not the induction - of low-dose immunological paralysis, a form of unresponsiveness mediated by suppressor T cells. These findings are consistent with effects usually attributed to the action of amplifier, rather than contrasuppressor, T cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Fauntleroy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prescott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D037102:Lectins; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D037102:Lectins; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C026604:pneumococcal polysaccharide, type III