Suppressor pathways in tumor immunity: a requirement for Qa-1 positive tumor-bearer spleen T cells in suppression of the afferent immune response to tumor antigens.

Spleen cells from mice bearing large methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced sarcomas were injected intravenously into mice challenged in the hind footpads with heavily-irradiated cells from the same or a different sarcoma. As measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation on day 5 or 6, cellular proliferation in the draining popliteal lymph nodes of these mice was significantly depressed as compared to control animals receiving normal spleen cells or medium intravenously. The suppression was found to be mediated by a Qa-1-positive, Thy-1 positive cell. It was relatively resistant to cyclophosphamide treatment (100 mg/kg). Furthermore, it had both antigen-specific and non-specific components. The findings are discussed in relation to a suppressor activator cell-suppressor acceptor cell pathway in the immunoregulation of tumor immunity.