Inhibition by anti-beta2-microglobulin antisera of responder cells and not of stimulator cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction.

Specific antisera directed against beta2-microglobulin (B2m) have been shown to inhibit completely the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). However, the mechanism of inhibition has been unclear. In the present study, further experiments were performed to determine the effect of anti-B2m on both the stimulator and responder cells in an MLR. The experimental design used was that of a xenogeneic MLR, using mouse and human lymphocytes. The ffect of anti-human B2m was studied in this system. Anti-human B2m inhibited the xenogeneic MLR only when human lymphocytes were used as responder cells and did not inhibit the MLR when they were used as stimulator cells...