BALB/c mice immunized subcutaneously (s.c.) with syngeneic splenocytes to which purified isologous myeloma proteins, M315, M460, or TEPC 15, are coupled, exhibit delayed hypersensitivity (DH) reactions upon subsequent challenge with aqueous myeloma proteins or coupled cells. This reactivity can be transferred to naive animals by Τ cells and is idiotype-specific since animals primed with one myeloma protein respond only to homologous challenge. Mice immunized i.v. with M-315-coupled splenocytes develop splenic suppressor Τ cells that inhibit the development of DH upon s.c. priming. In addition, suppressor cells induced in this manner inhibit antibody production by tissue culture adapted MOPC 315 cells after in vitro co-culture. The suppressor cells that inhibit MOPC 315 cell function are nylon wool nonadherent Thy-1-bearing Τ lymphocytes that express I-J subregion encoded surface determinants and whose precursors are sensitive to cyclophosphamide. Moreover, they are idiotype specific since they can be depleted on and enriched by binding to plastic dishes coated with M315 but not M460 protein or mouse IgG. The use of idiotype-coupled cells to selectively induce idiotype-specific effector and suppressor Τ cells is a valuable approach for studying idiotypic regulation of immune responses. In addition, the ability to specifically modulate the function of a neoplastic cell line provides a tool for analyzing the subcellular mechanisms of action of regulatory Τ lymphocytes.
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Abbas et al. (1980) studied this question.