title: Suppression and contrasuppression in the induction of contact sensitivity by the administration of cellbound antigen-antibody complexes.
abstract: The tolerogenic signal produced by the i.v. injection of haptenated peritoneal exudate cells can be converted to an immunogenic signal by treating the cells with antibody to the hapten before administration. We examined this phenomenon and found that immunity induced by antigen-antibody complexes, as opposed to skin sensitization, is resistant to suppressor T cell influences. This resistance to suppression is due to the activation of an I-J+, Ly-1 T cell population which adheres to the Vicia villosa lectin, all characteristics of contrasuppressor T cells. Because haptenated cells can induce immunity if injected subcutaneously or into cyclophosphamide-pretreated recipients (thereby avoiding the induction of suppressor cells), we suggest that the activation of contrasuppressor cells by antigen-antibody complexes overrides suppressive influences in the host, allowing immunity to become dominant. The possible roles of suppression and contrasuppression in channeling the effector arm of the immune response (e.g., contact sensitivity vs humoral immunity) are discussed.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ptak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bereta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ptak
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Iverson
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006241:Haptens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D037102:Lectins; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010641:Phenotype; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D006241:Haptens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D037102:Lectins; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D003520:Cyclophosphamide