In vivo regulation of the primary response of cytolytic T cells to hapten-altered self antigens by an inducible suppressor T cell.

Tc directed toward hapten-altered self antigens have been prevented from appearing in vivo inducing tolerance with hapten-derivatized syngeneic spleen cells. When the latter cells were coinjected intravenously with hapten-tolerized spleen cells one week before attempting sensitization for Tc, the hapten-specific Tc were not generated. Tolerance induced in this manner was adoptively transferable to untreated hosts using spleen cells of tolerized animals. The cell responsible for down regulating the CML response was identified as a theta antigen-bearing cell. Three additional methods have been described in which induction of Tc could be prevented by tolerance initiated through the use of hapten-derivatized syngeneic spleen cells. Common to all four methods is a two-week interval between the initial administration of tolerogen and the start of sensitization for Tc formation.