Suppressor cells induced by BCG release non-specific factors in vitro which inhibit DNA synthesis and interleukin-2 production.

Mice injected intravenously with a high dose (5 X 10(7) ) of BCG fail to develop delayed hypersensitivity to BCG and are described as anergic or unresponsive. Spleen cells from these mice release factors on culture which suppress DNA synthesis induced by concanavalin A in vitro. Cell separation experiments showed that both macrophages and T cells produce inhibitory factors. However, the macrophage factor has a molecular weight 10,000-30,000, while the T cell factor has a molecular weight of 50,000-70,000. Further evidence that these two factors are different is provided by the kinetics of their action. The T cell factor only acts when given within 12 hr of stimulation with concanavalin A, while the macrophage factor acts even when given at 48 hr. In the case of the T cell factor, the inhibition of DNA synthesis may be attributed to its ability to block the interleukin-2 production induced by Con A. As similar T cell and macrophage factors are produced in mice responding to simple chemically reactive haptenes (contact sensitizers), it is possible that a similar suppressor circuit is involved in the control of the response to contact sensitizers and in the production of unresponsiveness (anergy) in mice given large doses of BCG.