Genetic control of allogeneic interactions in the guinea-pig. II. Evidence for alloantigen-specific suppressor cells in the guinea-pig mixed leukocyte culture.
The cellular basis of B.2-associated unresponsiveness in the guinea-pig MLC has been investigated. Macrophage-enriched and macrophage-depleted lymphoid cells were treated with alloantisera and complement and the ability of these antiserum-treated cell populations to present alloantigens to T lymphocytes investigated. It was found that B.2-specific suppressor cells can be eliminated from macrophage-depleted but not from macrophage-enriched stimulator cells with anti-B.2 serum and complement. By contrast, antiserum directed against allodeterminants on responding cells had no detectable influence on the MLC. Nylon wool column-purified B.2-specific T cells but not B.2-specific T cells, suppress the MLC between B.1-positive (stimulator cells) and B.2-positive (responding cells) lymphoid cells. Furthermore, anti-B.2 serum-treated column-purified B.2-specific T cells lose their ability to suppress the MLC reaction. It is concluded that B.2-specific MLC suppressor cells are T cells which are sensitive to lysis by alloantiserum in the presence of complement.
D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens