Suppression of autoimmunity in NZB mice with steroid-sensitive X-radiation-sensitive syngeneic young thymocytes.

NZB mice spontaneously lose thymic regulatory or suppressor cells and subsequently develop autoimmunity and lymphoreticular hyperplasia. Treatment with 2-week-old syngeneic thymocytes every 2 weeks starting at 4 weeks of age suppressed these disease manifestations. The active thymocyte subpopulation was found to be sensitive to corticosteroids and X-irradiation.