Genetic control of the immune response to collagen. III. Coordinate restriction of cellular cooperation and antigen responsiveness by thymus-directed maturation.
The H-2 restriction of T helper cells from thymus-reconstituted nude mice was examined. Hybrid athymic mice were bred from BALB/c.nu and C57BL/6.nu parental strains and reconstituted with fetal thymus tissue from either parental strain. T helper cells from these mice, immunized to SRBC, were restricted to cooperation with B cells of the thymic H-2 haplotype. These T helper cells were shown to have originated from the F1 host by functional sensitivity to antisera and complement. The H-2 restriction of thymus-reconstituted F1 nude mice was further investigated by examining expression of the Ir-collagen phenotype. Results showed that the level of antibody produced in response to type I calf collagen in thymus chimeras correlates with the H-2 haplotype (high responder or low responder) of the reconstituting thymus. These experiments indicate that the thymus environment of T cell maturation influences both the H-2 restriction and Ir-phenotype of a responding immune system.
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D002678:Chimera; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits; D012756:Sheep; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000637:transplantation
D000941:Antigens; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D003094:Collagen