Immune depression in trypanosome-infected mice. III. suppressor cells

• Published in: European journal of immunology Vol. 9; no. 3; p. 200
• Main Authors: Pearson, T W, Roelants, G E, Pinder, M, Lundin, L B, Mayor-Withey, K S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.03.1979
• Subjects: Animals; Antilymphocyte Serum - pharmacology; Cell Separation; Concanavalin A - pharmacology; Female; Immunosuppression; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C3H; Mice, Inbred CBA; Spleen - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Trypanosomiasis - immunology
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830090306

Spleen cells from trypanosome-infected mice strongly suppressed lymphocyte stimulation induced in normal spleen cell populations by lipopolysaccharide, concanavalin A or allogeneic (H-2-different) stimulator cells. This suppression was not H-2-restricted, as responses of spleen lymphocytes both allogeneic and syngeneic to the suppressors were inhibited. Irradiation or mitomycin C treatment of suppressor populations markedly reduced but did not eliminate suppressor activity. Suppressor populations were effective when present in very low numbers. Addition of suppressor cells to mixed lymphocyte cultures at various intervals after initiation of the cultures showed that the suppressors require 48 h to manifest their activity. Cell depletion or enrichment experiments indicate that the mechanism of suppression is complex and involves more than one cell type.