Antigen-nonspecific and specific suppression of lymphokine production in desensitized guinea pigs

Doubly immunized guinea pigs may be desensitized with respect to delayed hypersensitivity reactions against both antigens (anergy) by injection of large doses of either one. This anergic response therefore has both a specific and nonspecific component. The specific component of desensitization persists longer than the nonspecific one. In the present study, we have explored the mechanism of both antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific suppression during the later stages of desensitization. Guinea pigs immunized with two antigens, DNP-KLH and DNP-EA, were desensitized with DNP-EA. The lymph node cells obtained from the animals 1 day after desensitization were unable to produce MIF in the presence of either antigen. The cells obtained 3, 5, and 7 days after desensitization were able to generate MIF when stimulated with the non-specific antigen (DNP-KLH), but not with specific antigen (DNP-EA). It was shown that both T- and non-T-cell fractions obtained 1 day after desensitization had the capacity to antigen-nonspecifically suppress MIF production. In contrast, if the cells were obtained 3 or 5 days after desensitization, T cells could inhibit only the antigen-specific production of MIF, while non-T cells were still capable of suppressing antigen-specific and nonspecific MIF production. Interestingly, when these two populations were mixed back again, it was now only suppressive to the specific antigen-induced MIF production. This latter observation indicates that nonspecific suppressor non-T cells may themselves be regulated by suppressor T cells. Furthermore, antigen-specific suppressor T cells were shown to produce soluble factor(s) which inhibited the production of MIF.     

Cooperation between mouse T-cell subpopulations in the cell-mediated response to a natural poxvirus pathogen.

Irradiated CBA anti-DBA/2 cells (10⁶ cells/culture) suppressed the production of effector cells in cultures containing 10⁷ unprimed CBA (responder) and 10⁶ irradiated DBA/2 (stimulator) spleen cells per culture. The suppressive element was cellular and suppression was specific for the stimulating antigen. The suppressive activity resided in the cytotoxic cell population in that both suppressive and cytotoxic activities were found in cells of the same size range, predominantly in T-cells, were produced in response to similar doses of stimulator antigen, and were produced with the same time course following establishment of first sensitization cultures. Eventual suppression correlated with the cytotoxic activity introduced into second sensitization cultures by suppressor cells. The short-term cytotoxic activity and suppressor activity were both highly radioresistant. These studies indicate that the suppressor cells formed in an in vitro mixed lymphocyte culture are cytotoxic to stimulator cells.     

Cellular immunity in Q fever: modulation of responsiveness by a suppressor T cell-monocyte circuit

Human infection with the rickettsia Coxiella burnetii presents as an acute flulike primary Q fever, as a subacute granulomatous hepatitis, or, rarely, as chronic endocarditis. We have previously described lymphocyte unresponsiveness to Coxiella antigen in patients with Q fever endocarditis. This unresponsiveness was antigen specific and was mediated in part by adherent suppressor cells. In this report we show that the adherent suppressor cells work via prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)4 production. Addition of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin to cultures of PBMC from patients with endocarditis or chronic laboratory exposure resulted in consistent increases in Coxiella-specific lymphocyte proliferation. The degree of increase in proliferation induced by indomethacin correlated strongly with the amount of PGE2 produced in a 4-hr culture stimulated by Coxiella antigen, but it also correlated with the sensitivity to inhibition of mitogenesis by PGE2. The suppressor mechanism was antigen nonspecific, because induction of suppression in vitro by Coxiella antigen also suppressed Candida-induced proliferation when both antigens were present in the same culture. Addition of indomethacin to these antigen cocultures totally reversed the Coxiella-induced suppression, confirming the evidence above that the nonspecific effector mechanism of suppression was prostaglandin (PG)-mediated. Elicitation of suppression, however, was antigen specific and involved a T cell-monocyte suppressor circuit. Supernatants from Coxiella-stimulated immune T cells and from the suppressor subset (OKT8+-enriched) of those T cells, but not unstimulated immune cells, induced augmented PGE2 production by unrelated nonimmune PBMC. We conclude that the lymphocyte unresponsiveness characterizing patients with Q fever endocarditis is modulated in part by an antigen-specific T suppressor cell which secretes a lymphokine to stimulate PGE2 production by adherent cells.     

Suppression of antigen-specific interleukin 2 production in the MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr mouse

Several murine strains with spontaneously occurring systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease demonstrate defects in immunoregulation. The MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL-1) strain develops a severe age-progressive defect in interleukin 2 (IL 2) production in response to mitogen or antigen. In this study, we demonstrate in vitro the presence of suppressor cells in the lymph nodes of naive mice of the MRL background. Suppression by MRL-1 lymph node cells was partially reversed by treatment with anti-Lyt-1.2 monoclonal antibody and complement and was moderately radiosensitive. Suppression by lymph node cells from the congenic MRL/MpJ-+/+ (MRL-+) mouse was somewhat more resistant to treatment with anti-Lyt-1.2 and complement, or radiation. Lymph node cells from the H-2-syngeneic mouse strain, C3H/HeJ, failed to suppress. Thus, lymph nodes from mice of the MRL background contain cells capable of suppressing in vitro IL 2 responses. We next performed cell transfers to determine whether suppressor cells contribute in vivo to the IL 2 defect. Lymph node cells, but not spleen cells, from MRL-1 mice by 5 to 6 mo of age suppressed antigen-specific IL 2, CTL, and DTH responses when transferred into young MRL-+ recipients. Transfer of identical numbers of lymph node cells from age-matched MRL-+ mice failed to suppress IL 2 production. Transfer of suppression was sensitive to treatment with monoclonal anti-Lyt-2.1 and complement, and to 250 rad of radiation. Thus, this study suggests a role for active suppression of IL 2 production in the establishment of the IL 2 defect in the MRL-1 mouse. Further, suppression may involve phenotypically distinct T lymphocyte subpopulations.     

The autoimmune response in active Heymann's nephritis in Lewis rats is regulated by T-lymphocyte subsets

In this study the cellular events which are responsible for the induction and suppression of active Heymann's nephritis (HN) in Lewis rats were investigated. Using an enzyme-linked short-term culture assay specific autoantibody production in vitro by lymphoid cells directed against the nephritogenic renal tubular epithelial glycoprotein (RTE-Gp) was measured. By this method it was shown that only the lymph nodes that drain the site of immunization contained autoreactive B cells. Pretreatment with cyclosporine A (Cy-A) or with multiple injections of high doses of antigen in Freund's incomplete adjuvant markedly inhibited the development of disease to a subsequent nephritogenic challenge. In challenged high-dose-tolerant (HDT) rats the autoimmune response was only 5-10% of immunized nontolerant rats. This tolerance could not be transferred by lymphoid cells from Cy-A-treated rats, but could be transferred by lymphoid cells derived from the thymus or spleen of HDT rats. Thus a suppressor cell of thymic origin may be responsible for HDT. Transfer of affinity column-fractionated splenic T cells from HDT rats demonstrated that OX8- helper and OX8+ suppressor T cells are involved in the induction and suppression, respectively, of the autoimmune response in this experimental nephropathy.     

Suppression of lymphoproliferation by high concentrations of normal human mononuclear leukocytes.

Mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) include cells that suppress lymphoproliferation in unstimulated and antigen-stimulated cultures. Suppression is demonstrated by increasing the concentration of cells added to cultures and does not require preactivation of suppressor cells. Suprression of 3H-thymidine incorporation occurred if the high concentrations of MNL were added to cultures before the proliferative responses commenced. This suppressive effect of high cell concentration upon 3H-thymidine incorporation is removed by depleting MNL present in high numbers of cells that adhere to foreign surfaces or by preincubating these cells with cycloheximide, puromycin, or pactamycin. The suppressor cell, which only functions when present in a viable state, is radioresistant, adheres to foreign surfaces, remains active through 5 days in culture, and equates with the presence of a cell that is rich in cytoplasmic esterase. The suppressor cell may be of the monocyte series and did not appear to belong to either the T or the B lymphocyte series. This study provides additional evidence that normal immune reactivity in man is under regulatory control. The suppressor mechanism identified herein with normal human MNL is probably related to a similar type of suppression (but at a much lower cell concentration) that has been described with Hodgkin's disease and solid tumors.     

Production of soluble suppressor factors by herpes simplex virus-stimulated splenocytes from herpes simplex virus-immune mice.

Indirect evidence indicates that herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte induction is regulated by suppressor cells. To search for such suppressor effects, supernatant fluids from splenocyte cultures from normal and HSV-immune mice cultured either with or without viral stimulation were tested for their ability to inhibit HSV-specific cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte induction. Only the supernatant fluid from the HSV-stimulated, HSV-immune cultures contained a suppressor activity (HSV-SF). HSV-SF was produced by nylon-wool-purified Thy 1+ cells. HSV-SF was detectable after 3 days of culture and would only suppress cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte induction if HSV-SF was added within 24 h of initiation of the test cultures. HSV-SF was neither dialyzable nor heat stable. Molecular sieve chromatography of HSV-SF yielded multiple peaks of suppressor activity. Although most of these peaks exhibited nonspecific suppressor activity, the suppression mediated by the 90,000 to 150,000-molecular-weight fractions was antigen specific and genetically restricted. These results provide direct evidence for the regulation of HSV-cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte induction by a novel suppressor factor.     

Activation of human B lymphocytes. V. Kinetics and mechanisms of suppression of plaque-forming cell responses by concanavalin A-generated suppressor cells.

The kinetics and mechanisms of suppression of the PWM-induced PFC response of human PB lymphocytes by Con A-activated suppressor cells were investigated. It was necessary that Con A suppressor cells be present early in the process of activation of human B cells toward antibody syntheses, but maximal suppression of the PFC response occurred later in the culture period. In addition, Con A-activated cells, although suppressing the PFC response to PWM greater that 90% of control, did not significantly suppress the blastogenic response to PWM after 3 or 5 days in culture. On the contrary, after 3 days in culture, background tritiated thymidine incorporation as well as tritiated thymidine incorporation to PWM stimulation was increased when Con A suppressor cells are added to fresh autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes. This increased blastogenic response after three days most likely represented an autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) or Con A suppressor cells against fresh autologous non-T cells. The induction of autoreactive cells may be one of several modes of suppression of PFC responses by Con A activated suppressor cells.     

Suppressor T cell activation by human leukocyte interferon

Murine fibroblast interferon (IFN beta) activates murine suppressor T lymphocytes in vitro, which suppress plaque-forming cell responses by spleen cells. Suppression of human in vitro immune responses by IFN was investigated to determine whether human IFN also activates suppressor T cells. Human leukocyte IFN (IFN alpha) suppressed pokeweed mitogen-induced polyclonal immunoglobulin production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by 80 to 90% at doses of 200 to 350 U/ml. Responses by IFN alpha-treated PBMC were suppressed in a dose-dependent manner; control cultures had maximal responses on day 7. PBMC incubated with 10,000 U/ml of IFN alpha contained activated suppressor cells that decreased pokeweed mitogen-stimulated, polyclonal immunoglobulin production by autologous cells by 70 to 80%. Suppression mediated by these cells was prevented by catalase, ascorbic acid, and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME). In murine systems, these reagents interfere with expression of suppressor T cell activity by preventing activation of soluble immune response suppressor. Selection procedures with monoclonal antibodies identified the suppressor cell as an OKT8+ (suppressor/cytotoxic) T lymphocyte. Selected OKT8+ cells required less IFN alpha (1000 U/ml) for activation and were effective in smaller numbers than unfractionated activated PBMC. IFN alpha-activated suppressor cells also inhibited proliferation in mixed lymphocyte and mitogen-stimulated PBMC cultures; again, catalase and 2-ME blocked suppression. These results indicate that IFN alpha activates suppressor T cells in human PBMC cultures; the ability of catalase, 2-ME, and ascorbic acid to block suppression suggests that these suppressor T cells have certain similarities to IFN beta or to concanavalin A-activated murine suppressor T cells.     

Inhibition of human antigen-induced lymphoblastoid B-cell function by an in vivo-induced suppressor T cell

Lymphoblastoid (LB) B cells which spontaneously produce antitetanus toxoid IgG antibodies (Tet-IgG) in short-term cultures (3 days) appear in the circulation 5-7 days after immunization with tetanus toxoid. Addition of pokeweed mitogen (PWM), normally a stimulator of antibody production, caused instead a reduction in the in vitro synthesis of Tet-IgG by the LB cells. In order for this inhibition of antibody production to occur, T cells had to be present, and the inhibition was proportional to the number of T cells added to the culture, demonstrating the existence of PWM-inducible suppressor cells. The cells mediating the suppression had the OKT8 phenotype and also exhibited the following characteristics: (1) a PWM pretreatment period as little as 14 hr was enough to complete activation; (2) conventional inhibitors of suppressor T cells as hydrocortisone and cyclosporin A only partially reversed its effect; and (3) DNA synthesis was not required. The T-suppressor activity was detectable in the circulation before immunization, increased two- to fourfold by 5-12 days after boosting, and waned after 3 weeks. The mechanism of action of this suppression does not appear to involve conventional cytotoxic T cells as (1) the suppression was mediated across allogeneic barriers and (2) the suppression could not be reversed by inclusion of anti-Leu-2a antibodies in the culture. These results suggest that this suppressor T-cell subset may be important in the normal regulation of activated stages of human B lymphocytes.     

Fc-receptor heterogeneity of human suppressor T cells.

Concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated the IgM-binding subpopulation of human T cells (TM) to suppress the pokeweed mitogen-induced differentiation of B lymphocytes to plasma cells. Control TM cells that had not been Con A activated did not suppress. The degree of suppression was related to the number of Con A-TM cells added to the cultures and it was abolished by irradiation of the T lymphocytes either before or after the 24-hr culture period with Con A. Suppression did not require the presence of TG cells, whose suppressor potential has been previously established. These findings indicate that suppressor activity is not confined to the TG subpopulation but may be expressed by TM cells also.     

T cell-mediated immunoregulation of Epstein Barr virus- (EBV) induced B lymphocyte activation in EBV-seropositive and EBV-seronegative individuals

Infection with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is accompanied by seroconversion and life-long persistence of the virus in B lymphocytes. During acute EBV-induced infectious mononucleosis, suppressor T cells become activated, which may provide an additional mechanism of host defense against the causative agent. When cultures of lymphocytes from normal adults seropositive for EBV were stimulated with the B95-8 strain of EBV, purified B cells produced increasingly higher numbers of immunoglobulin- (Ig) secreting cells, whereas in co-cultures of autologous B and T cells a profound suppressor T cell activity inhibited further B cell activation after 10 to 12 days in culture. No such T cell-mediated inhibitory effect was seen in cultures of lymphocytes obtained from normal adults seronegative for EBV, indicating a correlation between the suppressor effect with evidence of prior immunity to this virus. The T cell-mediated suppression in patients with infectious mononucleosis is characterized by an early-acting inhibitory effect on B cell differentiation that is not specific in that all polyclonal B cell activators are inhibited, whereas in EBV-seropositive normal subjects suppression is delayed in time and affects only EBV-activated cultures. These data indicate that after infection with EBV, immunoregulatory T cells are generated that are capable of inhibiting further EBV-induced activation of autologous B cells and thus may provide an additional unique mechanism of host defense against persisting EBV-infected B cells.     

T and B cells induce macrophages which suppress proliferation but not lymphokine secretion

In vitro culture of mouse spleen cells for 2 days or more leads to the production of adherent, phagocytic, Thy-1-, Ia+, Lyt-2- cells ("suppressor macrophages") which strongly inhibit the proliferative response of T and B lymphocytes to a variety of stimuli: mitogens, specific antigens, and antigen-nonspecific growth factors. Suppressive activity fails to develop, however, in cultured spleen cells from which nonadherent cells have been removed before the initial 48-hr incubation, and only partial suppression is obtained from cell suspensions from which T cells have been depleted before culture. We find that the requirement for nonadherent cells can be replaced by graded doses of lymphocytes. Lyt-2- and Lyt-2+ T cells are about equally potent in inducing suppressive activity in nonadherent cells. Surprisingly, B cells (containing fewer than 0.1% contaminating T cells) are also able to induce suppression in this system. The suppression induced includes both indomethacin-sensitive and indomethacin-resistant components. Interestingly, not all stages of mitogen-induced T-cell activation are blocked by these adherent cells: proliferation is inhibited, but production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 3 (IL-3) is unaffected.     

Nature of the target cells in bone marrow B-suppressor action studied on a simplified model of suppression activity registration

The addition of bone marrow cells to spleen cells and lymph node cells stimulates by mitogents, but not to fibroblast-like cells, leads to a significant reduction of DNA synthesis in mixed cultures in vitro. The suppression effects appears only in two days and the suppressor cell activity is the stronger, the intensive is the target cell proliferation. It is shown that intact bone marrow cells can suppress the lipopolysaccharide-activated bone marrow cell proliferation in vitro. A conclusion may be draw that cells of the lymphoid system serve as target cells for the bone marrow suppressor cells, and the role of these lymphoid system cells is to control immunogenesis processes by suppressing the target cell proliferation activity in the bone marrow.     

Antigen-specific human B-cell responses: modulation by immunoregulatory T-cell subsets

In vitro T-cell requirements for and modulation of human B-cell responses were studied in individuals immunized in vivo to the protein antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin or tetanus toxoid. T cells were required for antibody synthesis in both antigen-driven and pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-driven cultures. T cells were separated into T4+ and T8+ subpopulations using monoclonal antibodies, and their modulation of antibody synthesis was studied. T4+ cells functioned as helper cells in both antigen-driven and PWM-driven cultures in a dose-dependent manner. Whereas T8+ cells suppress both total and specific immunoglobulin secretion in PWM-stimulated cultures, in antigen-stimulated cultures T8+ cells do not suppress unless activated by another cell population present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC). This cellular requirement was further investigated by prestimulation of cells prior to addition to optimally stimulated antigen-driven cultures of PBMNC or B cells, monocytes, and helper T cells. No suppression of these optimally stimulated cultures was seen when T8+ cells were precultured with antigen or PWM. However, after 3-5 days preculture of total T cells with PWM or antigen and then selection of T4+ cells, these cells were able to induce fresh autologous T8+ cells to suppress optimally stimulated antigen-driven cultures. Addition of a precultured mixture of T8+ cells with 20% T4+ cells also resulted in antigen-induced suppression. These data indicate that T8+ cells can suppress antigen-driven cultures but require the presence of preactivated T4+ cells for induction of this suppression of antigen-specific T-cell-dependent human B-cell responses.     

Immunologic suppression after oral administration of antigen. I. Specific suppressor cells formed in rat Peyer's patches after oral administration of sheep erythrocytes and their systemic migration.

Rats given 10(10) sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) orally were found to contain specific suppressor cells to SRBC in their Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) after 2 days of feeding. After 4 days of feeding, similar suppressor cells were found in the thymus and spleen, but they were missing in the PP or MLN. These suppressor cells effectively blocked IgM and IgG plaque-forming cell responses to SRBC in Mishell-Dutton cultures and delayed-type-hypersensitivity responses to SRBC when transferred to syngeneic recipients, but they did not affect responses to horse erythrocytes. The orally induced specific suppressor cells appeared to be T2 cells since their activity was eliminated by in vivo treatment of SRBC-fed rats with anti-rat lymphocyte serum but not by adult thymectomy. Because carrageenan partially relieved the suppression observed in culture, the actual suppressive mechanism may also involve a macrophage.     

The suppressive effect of immunization on the proliferative responses of rat T cells in vitro. II. Abrogation of antigen-induced suppression by selective cytotoxic agents.

Rats given large i.v. doses of ovalbumin or sheep erythrocytes manifest suppressed spleen cell responses (3H-thymidine incorporation) to PHA within hours. Removal of glass wool-adherent cells totally restores responsiveness to that of normal nonadherent spleen cell cultures. Carrageenan, selectively toxic for macrophages, partially restores responses of antigen-suppressed spleen cells in culture, suggesting a supportive role for macrophages in the suppression phenomenon. Treatment of donors with low doses of cyclophosphamide (20 to 50 mg/kg) at the time of antigen injection abrogates the ability of their spleen cells to suppress the responses of normal cells to PHA. The low dose of cyclophosphamide required indicates a target other than the B cell or macrophage and suggests the possibility that cyclophosphamide eliminates the suppressor T cell component of the macrophage-T cell complex.     

Studies on the mechanism of suppression of primary cytotoxic responses by cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes

We have shown in the accompanying companion paper that cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can serve as veto cells in vitro, suppressing primary cytotoxic activity directed against antigens expressed by those cloned CTL but not against third party antigens. We now explore the mechanism of this antigen-specific suppression by cloned CTL, using as a model system the ability of G4, a BALB.B anti-H-2Dd CTL clone, to specifically suppress a primary in vitro anti-H-2b CTL response. G4 cells do not constitutively secrete a suppressor factor, because suppression cannot be mediated by supernatants removed from G4 cells at a time when they are routinely used as veto cells. Furthermore, medium removed from cultures suppressed by G4 will not suppress, indicating that the veto cell function of G4 is not mediated by soluble factors. Full suppression of primary anti-H-2b CTL responses requires that G4 be present throughout the 5-day mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). Removal of G4 during the first 3 days of MLC results in a drastic reduction in the level of antigen-specific suppression, with a slight but reproducible loss of suppression after veto cell removal on day 4. The addition of G4 during the course of an ongoing MLC reveals that maximal suppression requires the presence of veto cells during the first 24 to 48 hr of culture. Thus, G4 cells must be present both early and late in an MLC to exert maximal veto cell suppression. Several experiments suggest that G4-induced veto cell activity is unlikely to be due to cytolysis of CTL precursors which are capable of recognizing G4. G4 cannot specifically recognize these CTL precursors, and G4 cells are inefficient at lectin-mediated lysis of non-tumor cell targets. Furthermore, we show that G4 cells cannot lyse CTL which recognize them. Finally, dilutions of anti-clonotypic antibodies which completely block both lectin-mediated and specific cytolysis by G4 do not block (and in fact enhance) G4-mediated veto cell activity.     

Production of soluble suppressor factor by spleen cells from mice immunized with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide

Supernatant fluid (SF) derived from spleen cell cultures, obtained from mice 16 hr after immunization with 0.5 microgram of Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III), suppressed the antibody response when SF was given (i.v.) 3 hr before immunization with SSS-III. Such suppression was antigen specific and could be reproduced by SF derived from cultures of T cells from mice immunized with SSS-III (0.5 microgram) or by SF derived from cultures of spleen cells from mice primed with a subimmunogenic dose of SSS-III (0.005 microgram). Adsorption of SF with SSS-III covalently bound to a Sepharose 4B column did not alter the ability of SF to suppress the SSS-III-specific antibody response. However, adsorption of SF with Ig+ (B) cells from mice immunized with 0.5 microgram SSS-III completely removed the suppressive activity. Significant (p less than 0.05) suppression of the antibody response was observed only when SF was administered (i.v.) 24 hr before to 24 hr after immunization with 0.5 microgram of SSS-III. These results suggest that suppressor T cells generated in response to SSS-III function by releasing a soluble factor(s) that binds to determinants on B cells rather than antigen; this soluble factor(s) acts directly on antigen-stimulated B cells or inhibits the induction of amplifier T cells.     

Suppressor cell regulation of encephalitogenic T cell lines: generation of suppressor macrophages with cyclosporin A and myelin basic protein.

Chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE) can be adoptively transferred using myelin basic protein (BP)-specific helper T cell lines, and suppressor cells may be important in recovery from EAE. In order to generate suppressor cells, spleen cells obtained from BP-complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) inoculated SJL/J mice and from normal mice were cultured for 7 days with medium, with cyclosporin A (CsA), or with CsA and antigen (BP or purified protein derivative of mycobacterium (PPD)). Cultured spleen cells were assayed for suppressor activity in vitro by coculture with BP-specific and PPD-specific helper T cell lines derived from SJL/J mice. Immunized donor spleen cells cultured with cyclosporin A (CsA) and BP were potent inhibitors of T cell line proliferation, and suppressor activity was increased 17-fold compared with control splenocytes. The number of suppressor cells required to suppress PPD-specific line proliferation by 50% (I50) was significantly higher than the number required to suppress BP-specific line proliferation, suggesting an antigen-specific component to the suppression. The major effector cell required for suppression was a large granular Mac-1+ cell with the functional characteristics of a macrophage. Suppressor activity persisted after depletion of Thy 1.2+ cells, but suppression was no longer antigen-specific, suggesting that culture of spleen cells with CsA and BP may generate suppressor macrophages which are antigen-nonspecific and Thy 1.2+ suppressor cells which are antigen-specific. These suppressor cells may be important in the regulation of CR-EAE and the techniques described for their generation may prove useful for treatment and prevention of disease.