Soluble factors in tolerance and contact sensitivity to DNFB in mice. II. Genetic requirements for suppression of contact sensitivity by soluble suppressor factor.

Active suppression of contact sensitivity to DNFB in mice is mediated by a soluble suppressor factor (SSF) which is released in vitro by cultures of LN cells that contain antigen-specific suppressor T cells. For SSF-mediated suppression to occur, identity is required among genes in the H-2 complex between the donor of SSF and the donar of DNFB-immune LN cells. Identity in either the left half or right half of the H-2 complex was found to be both sufficient and required. Additional experiments using congeneic strains with intra-H-2 recombinants showed that the genetic homology which was required mapped to genes contained in the H-2K and/or H-2D regions of the H-2 complex.