Activation of idiotype-specific suppressor T cells by injection of antibody carrying a recurrent idiotype.
Intravenous injection of spleen cells (SC) coated with an antitrinitrophenyl (anti-TNP) IgM monoclonal antibody, Sp6 (Sp6-SC), which carries a recurrent idiotype, resulted in activation of a Lyt-2-positive population which did adhere to Sp6-coated plates. No effect of Sp6-SC injection could be observed in vivo on an anti-TNP B-cell response when mice were primed with an immunogenic dose of TNP-horse red blood cells (HRBC), but an anti-TNP response was observed when Sp6-SC-injected mice were primed with a subimmunogenic dose of TNP-HRBC. Furthermore, after intravenous (iv) injection of Sp6-SC, it was no longer possible to suppress a primary anti-TNP response by iv injection of TNP-haptenized thymocytes. In vitro analysis showed that the Sp6-induced suppressor T cell (Ts) population had no measurable influence on TNP-specific naive B cells, nor did it suppress TNP-specific helper T cells (THTNP), but it did lead to counterregulation of TNP-specific suppressor T cells (TsTNP). Hence, iv injection of antibody carrying a recurrent idiotype resulted in activation of a Ts population which functioned as inhibitor of suppression, thus displaying a helper effect.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000032:analysis; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D006241:Haptens; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes