The azobenzenearsonate conjugate of poly-glutamic-lysine-tyrosine will induce tyrosine-azobenzenearsonate-specific T-cell responses and clones in nonresponder mice.

Mice of the H-2b haplotype are low responders to ABA-tyr. However, when they were immunized with ABA coupled to poly-GLT15 for which they are nonresponders, they developed strong proliferative responses to ABA-tyr in draining lymph node cells. Clones derived from these cells were highly reactive to ABA-tyr although the original mice were not. No evidence was found to indicate that suppression played a role in the failure to respond to ABA-tyr. Characterization of two clones showed an absolute specificity for the arsonic acid group and the Azo linkage. Alterations in the terminal amino acid residues produced varying changes in reactivity which could not be ascribed unequivocally to an effect on epitope or agretope.