IgE-isotype-specific suppressor cells in the mouse: characterization using tetraparental chimera mice of high (DBA/2) and low (SJL) IgE responder embryos.

Tetraparental chimera mice were developed by aggregation of IgE high responder (DBA/2) and IgE low responder (SJL) embryos. Anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody response in such mice (SJL----DBA/2) upon challenge with DNP-keyhole-limpet hemocyanin (KLH) in alum was clearly suppressed, while anti-DNP IgG antibody response was not. High-titer anti-DNP IgE and IgG antibody response developed in F1 hybrid mice of SJL and DBA/2 (SDF1) mice. The experimental results suggest that high IgE antibody production is the dominant trait, and the IgE-specific suppressor gene in SJL mice is autosomal recessive. IgE-specific suppressor T cells in SJL mice actively suppressed IgE antibody formation by DBA/2 immuno-competent cells across the histocompatibility barrier. Hapten-specific B cells and carrier-specific T cells were prepared in SJL----DBA/2 and SDF1 mice by immunization with DNP-KLH or ovalbumin (OA) in alum and transferred to irradiated SDF1 mice followed by challenge with DNP-OA. Hapten-specific B cells and carrier-specific helper T cells clearly developed in SDF1 mice. Recipient mice transferred with DNP-KLH-primed SDF1 spleen cells and OA-primed SDF1 spleen cells showed high-titer anti-DNP IgE and IgG antibody responses. OA-primed SJL----DBA/2 spleen cells cotransferred with DNP-KLH-primed SDF1 spleen cells and OA-primed SDF1 spleen cells completely abolished secondary anti-DNP IgE antibody response. The data suggest that carrier-specific helper T cells for IgE and IgG antibody responses are distinct. The regulatory role of IgE-isotype-specific suppressor cells were considered to be the interference of cooperative cellular interaction between IgE B cells and carrier-specific, IgE-specific helper T cells.