Resistance of MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice to tolerance induction.

Mice of strain MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr develop resistance against tolerance induction with aggregate-freed rabbit gamma-globulin as early as 6 weeks of age and show very complete resistance when they are 10 weeks old; congenic mice MRL-Mp+/+ of 6 and 10 weeks can be rendered tolerant. By reconstitution experiments, it was shown that T cells from MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr are responsible for the resistance to tolerance induction. A cell which is not colchicine-sensitive contributes to tolerance of MRL/Mp-+/+, but not to MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice. Resistance of T cells against tolerance depends on expression of the lpr gene.