Antigen-specific suppression of the in vitro cytotoxic response by a soluble factor produced by Corynebacterium parvum-induced allospecific suppressor cells.
The adjuvant Corynebacterium parvum, when administered intravenously during an ongoing alloimmunization, induces alloantigen-specific splenic suppressor cells which inhibit primary and secondary in vitro sensitizations. We have previously shown that these cells produce a soluble suppressor factor in culture. We now further characterize this factor and its mechanism of action. Release of this suppressive factor is dependent upon specific restimulation of the splenic suppressor cell with the sensitizing alloantigen for 24-48 hr in culture. The suppressor factor inhibits primary, but not secondary, in vitro sensitizations in an antigen-specific, genetically unrestricted manner. The suppressive activity is not absorbed by passage through immunoadsorbent columns containing anti-mouse immunoglobulin. The factor does not lyse tumor cells bearing the sensitizing alloantigen. Delay in addition to primary cultures of as little as 4 hr after culture initiation leads to loss of suppressive activity, suggesting that this antigen-specific allosuppressor factor inhibits an early step in the sensitization of precursor cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000276:immunology*; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007519:Isoantigens; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic