T-cell regulation of pokeweed-mitogen-induced polyclonal immunoglobulin production in mice. II. Mechanism of the induction of suppressor T cells

• Published in: Immunology 1982-07, Vol.46 (3), p.583-587
• Main Authors: Kina, T, Nishikawa, S, Katsura, Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Surface - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Immunoglobulins - biosynthesis; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocyte Cooperation; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Phenotype; Pokeweed Mitogens - pharmacology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - radiation effects
• ISSN: 0019-2805; 1365-2567

The regulation of pokeweed-mitogen (PWM) induced polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) production by suppressor T cells was investigated in mice. Generation of Ig-producing cells in PWM-stimulated culture was helped by T cells and the helper activity was markedly augmented by X-irradiation, suggesting that the suppressor cells which may coexist in the helper source were abolished by X-irradiation. Present study also provided direct evidence for the involvement of suppressor cells in PWM-induced Ig production. Thus, suppressor cells could be induced by prestimulation of splenic T cells with high doses of PWM for 3-4 days. Both the precursor and effector suppressor T cells in this system were found to be Lyt 1- 2+. It was further shown that although the Lyt 1- 2+ subset could be directly stimulated by PWM to generate suppressor cells, the presence of Lyt 1+ 2- cells in the culture markedly enhanced the generation of Lyt 1- 2+ suppressor cells.