MLR-specific suppressor T lymphocytes in man. II. Functional and membrane characteristics of a specific MLR suppressor subpopulation.
Human MLR-specific suppressor T lymphocytes were induced by in vitro cultivation of human peripheral T lymphocytes in the presence of soluble HLA-DR alloantigens isolated from normal serum. The suppression is specific in that responder cells autologous to the suppressor cells respond to allogeneic stimulating cells that express the same HLA-DR specificity as that recovered from serum and used to induce the suppressor cells. This antigen-specific suppressor T cell population could be divided into suppressor and non-suppressor subpopulations as a function of adherence to a 6MB Sepharose immunoadsorbent coated with the inducing HLA-DR soluble antigen. As a consequence of activation by soluble DR antigen, the suppressor T lymphocyte population as well as the column-enriched suppressor subpopulation express new membrane specificities that can be recognized by antisera from pluriparous women. The specificities that are recognized are not found on autologous, unstimulated B and T cells, nor do they appear to recognize conventional HLA-A,B,C or DR determinants.
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell