Nonspecific suppression of anti-graft immunity by antigen-specific T suppressor cells.

The specificity of T suppressor cells induced by intravenous administration of irradiated allogeneic spleen cells was studied in mice by means of a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) assay. T suppressor cells induced by either H-2K, H-2I or H-2D incompatible cells were found to be specific for the inducing alloantigen. Such antigen specific T suppressor cells can suppress the response to another H-2 alloantigen, provided it is administered together with the alloantigen that had induced the T suppressor cells. Similarly, T suppressor cells induced by non-H-2 alloantigens can suppress the response to H-2 alloantigens if administered simultaneously.