Enhancement by BCG of macrophage-like suppressor cells that inhibit the expression of cytotoxic T-cell effector function.
The expression of alloimmune splenic T-cell mediated cytotoxicity, as determined by the 51Cr release assay, in animals undergoing allograft rejection, was observed to be inhibited by a cell present in the plastic-adherent fractions of the spleens. The activity of the suppressor cell, induced by the presence of the allograft, was enhanced if the animals were treated with BCG: The latter also potentiated the rejection response. The suppressor cell acted at the cytolytic phase of the effector function so that there was a measurable increase in the response if the suppressor cells were removed from the immune spleens prior to the assay. The cell responsible for the suppressor activity was macrophage-like in its characteristics, being of light density, adherent to glass surfaces, Thy-1-negative and sensitive to the toxic effects of crystalline silica particles.
D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A / Q000276:immunology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA / Q000276:immunology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*