Spleen cells from adult mice given total lymphoid irradiation or from newborn mice have similar regulatory effects in the mixed leukocyte reaction. I. Generation of antigen-specific suppressor cells in the mixed leukocyte reaction after the addition of spleen cells from adult mice given total lymphoid irradiation.
We added spleen cells from adult BALB/c mice treated with total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) to the mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) using a variety of responder and stimulator cells. The spleen cells nonspecifically suppressed the uptake of [3H]-thymidine and the generation of cytolytic cells regardless of the responder-stimulator combination used. We also examined the effect of the spleen cells on the generation of antigen-nonspecific and antigen-specific suppressor cells in the MLR. The experimental results suggest that the spleen cells from TLI-treated mice inhibit the generation of nonspecific suppressor cells, but do not inhibit the generation of antigen-specific suppressor cells. Thus, alloantigenic stimulation of normal responder cells in vitro in the presence of spleen cells from TLI-treated mice generates large numbers of antigen-specific suppressor cells, but few cytolytic cells or nonspecific suppressor cells. Similar nonspecific inhibition of the MLR was observed with neonatal spleen cells. This in vitro system provides a regulatory model for the induction and maintenance of tolerance in vivo, in which adult mice given TLI or neonatal mice accept allogeneic bone marrow transplants without graft-vs.-host disease.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000528:radiation effects*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*