Antigen- and receptor-driven regulatory mechanisms. VII. H-2-restricted anti-idiotypic suppressor factor from efferent suppressor T cells.

Azobenzenearsonate (ABA)-specific T cell-derived suppressor factor (TsF1) from A/J mice was used to induced second-order suppressor T cells (Ts2). Comparison of suppressor T cells induced by antigen (Ts1) with Ts2 induced by TsF1 revealed that Ts1 were afferent suppressors active only when given at the time of antigen priming, and not thereafter, whereas Ts2 could act when transferred at any time up to 1 d before antigen challenge for a delayed-type hypersensitivity response. This was true even when the recipient could be shown to be fully immune before transfer of Ts2, thus defining these cells as efferent suppressors. The anti-idiotypic specificity of the Ts2 was demonstrated by the ability of Ts to bind to idiotype (cross-reactive idiotype [CRI])-coated Petri dishes. A soluble extract from Ts2 (TsF2) was also capable of mediating efferent suppression that was functionally antigen- (ABA) specific. Comparison of TsF1 with this new factor, TsF2, revealed that both lack Ig-constant-region determinants, possess H-2-coded determinants, and show specific binding (to ABA and to CRI+-Ig, respectively). TsF1 acts in strains that differ with respect to H-2 and background genes, whereas TsF2 shows H-2- and non-H-2-linked genetic restrictions. This existence of H-2 restriction of TsF2 activity suggests that the apparent discrepancies in studies of H-2 restriction of TsF may be a result of the analysis of two separate classes of TsF, only one of which shows genetically restricted activity, thus unifying several models of suppressor cell activity.