Unresponsiveness in hapten-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. IV. Functional deletion of T cell subsets required for trinitrophenyl (TNP)-specific cytotoxic T cell generation after acute or chronic treatment with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS).

The generation of cytotoxic T cell responses requires the interaction of a network of immunocompetent cells. Within this network, a dynamic balance of positive and negative immunoregulatory cells and their products modulate the cytotoxic T cell response. We have developed protocols which shift the balance to favor negative immunoregulation and thus result in antigen-specific unresponsiveness. In this report, a variety of approaches have been utilized to examine the effects of acute and chronic tolerance protocols on specific T cell subsets, namely amplifier helper T cells and precursor cytotoxic T cells. The results to be detailed show differential effects on these T cell subsets which are related to the tolerance protocol employed and the strains of mice tested.