Neonatal tolerance to alloantigens alters major histocompatibility complex-restricted response patterns.

Male-specific transplantation antigen (H-Y)-immune cytotoxic T cells of some individual CBA/H mice exhibit lytic activity on male and female allogeneic targets (e.g., H-2b). Neonatal tolerance to H-2b abrogates the ability of CBA mice to generate secondary H-Y-immune cytotoxic T cells, but such cell activity to third-party alloantigens and to Bebaru and influenza virus is not impaired. The results are discussed in relationship to dominant major histocompatibility complex-coded immune response gene effects on cytotoxic T-cell responses.