Frequency of SV40-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors in two SV40 T-antigen transgenic mouse lines.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors (CTL-P) from control C57BL/6 mice and from mice of two simian virus 40 (SV40) T-antigen transgenic lines, 427 and 419, specifically nonresponsive and responsive, respectively, to SV40 T antigen, were quantitated by limiting dilution (LD) after immunization with SV40. CTL-P frequencies for the SV40 T antigen-responsive 419 line transgenic mice were within the range established in C57BL/6 mice, whereas no CTL-P could be demonstrated for the SV40 T antigen-tolerant 427 line mice. These results suggest that deletion or anergy of SV40 T antigen-responsive clones underlies the specific profound tolerance of 427 line mice.