Specific inhibition of hybrid resistance in F1 hybrid mice pretreated with parent-strain spleen cells. II. Evidence for an Hh-1 antigen-specific tolerization

Lethally irradiated F1 mice reject bone marrow graft from H-2b parents. In a previous paper we showed that pretreatment of F1 hybrid with H-2b parental spleen cells abrogates this hybrid resistance (HR) to parental bone marrow growth by inducing a Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- nylon-adherent suppressor cell. We studied the mechanism of induction of this suppressor cell. Two hypotheses were tested; both were based on the observation that parental spleen cells when injected into a F1 hybrid, recognize the alloantigens of the opposite parent and proliferate; the proliferation of these Hh-1+ cells may result in an overload of the pretreated F1 hybrids with Hh-1 Ag, and in the development of a graft-vs-host reaction that is followed by a non-specific immunodeficiency (GVHID). Thus abrogation of HR could be due to either a tolerization with high doses of Hh-1 Ag or the GVHID. Our results show that abrogation of HR does not correlate with the GVHID because 1) it is induced after pre-treatment with H-2b parental cells only, whereas GVHID is observed after injection with cells from either of the two parents; and 2) it is induced in several conditions where GVHID does not occur; after pre-treatment with 1000-rad-irradiated or T-cell depleted or only class I incompatible spleen cells or with spleen cells from nude parents as well as after pre-treatment with H-2b bone marrow cells. HR is overcome by the injection of H-2Db homozygous or of cross-reactive H-2Ds homozygous cells only. However, although pretreatment with H-2Db homozygous spleen cells is necessary, it is not sufficient for an efficient overcoming of HR. Indeed enhancement of H-2b bone marrow growth after pre-treatment with 1000-rad-irradiated, T-cell depleted or nude parent spleen cells is very short-lasting and never reaches the level observed after pre-treatment with normal spleen cells. We conclude that inhibition of HR in F1 hybrids pretreated with parental spleen cells is not a consequence of a GVHID but of a specific tolerization with Hh-1 Ag; however, the HR is inhibited more consistently when inoculum used for the pretreatment contains fully immunocompetent T cells. The role of the immunocompetent parental T cells in abrogation of HR is discussed.     

Specific inhibition of hybrid resistance in F1 hybrid mice pretreated with parent strain spleen cells. I. Induction of a nylon-adherent, Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- suppressor cell

Hybrid resistance, which is observed in certain strain combinations when parent-strain bone marrow cells are grafted into lethally irradiated F1 hybrids, can be specifically overcome by the i.v. injection, 1 wk before the graft, of spleen cells syngeneic with the bone marrow graft. This phenomenon is due to a suppressor mechanism, induced in the spleen of the F1 hybrid by the injection of parent-strain spleen cells and mediated by a nylon-adherent Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- cell population of hybrid origin, because hybrid resistance can be inhibited by the transfer into a normal B6D2F1 of nylon-adherent Thy-1+Lyt-1+2- spleen cells from B6D2F1 mice pretreated with B6 spleen cells 1 wk earlier (B6-pretreated B6D2F1); spleen cells from B6-pretreated B6D2F1 mice not depleted of their nylon-adherent subpopulation cannot restore hybrid resistance when they are injected into a B6D2F1 rendered nonresistant by split-dose irradiation; and spleen cells from normal B6D2F1 mice cannot restore hybrid resistance when they are injected into B6-pretreated B6D2F1 hybrids. The suppressor cells specifically inhibit resistance against bone marrow cells syngeneic with the spleen cells used for pretreatment, because transfer of nylon-adherent B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells into a normal B6D2F1 does not enhance syngeneic B6D2F1 or parent-strain D2 bone marrow growth, and when injected into normal B6D2F1 hybrids, nylon-adherent spleen cells from B6D2F1 mice pretreated with D2 spleen cells 1 wk earlier (D2-pretreated B6D2F1) are not able to transfer the inhibition of hybrid resistance against B6 bone marrow cells. Moreover, the activity of the suppressor cells depends on the genetic environment of the hybrid host mice, because nylon-adherent B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells injected into normal B6C3F1 hybrids do not transfer an inhibition of hybrid resistance, and when injected into B6C3F1 hosts previously rendered nonresistant by split-dose irradiation, spleen cells from B6-pretreated B6D2F1 mice can, in contrast, transfer hybrid resistance.     

Specific suppression of the in vitro parent anti-hybrid reaction. I. Characterization of a suppressor cell induced in hybrids by pretreatment with parent-strain spleen cells

Spleen cells from B6D2F1 hybrid mice pretreated with 5 X 10(7) B6 spleen cells iv 7 days earlier (B6-pretreated B6D2F1) exhibit a reduced capacity to stimulate the in vitro proliferative and anti-D2 CTL responses of B6 spleen cells. This inability of B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells to stimulate B6 spleen cells efficiently is due neither to the absence of stimulating cells bearing the D2 alloantigens nor to the destruction of B6 responding cells, but to the presence in the B6-pretreated B6D2F1 cell population of a suppressor mechanism, since the addition of B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells to a culture of normal B6 responding and irradiated B6D2F1-stimulating spleen cells can suppress the B6 anti-B6D2F1 response. This suppression is mediated by a nylon adherent, Thy-1-negative cell of parent-strain origin which is radioresistant at 2000 R. This suppressor cell is not induced by the injection to B6D2F1 hybrids of spleen cells from the other parent strain (D2) or an allogeneic strain (C3H). It does not suppress either the response of the other parent (D2) or an allogeneic strain (C3H) to B6D2F1 antigens, or the response of B6 cells to an allogeneic strain (C3H).     

Asialo-GM1-positive T killer cells are generated in F1 mice injected with parental spleen cells

(C57BL/6 x DBA/2)F1 mice transplanted with parental C57BL/6 spleen cells become splenic chimeras, show donor antihost cytotoxic T cell activity, and lose their T cell-mediated, humoral, and natural immunity. Injection of anti-asialo-GM1 (ASGM1) into transplanted mice strongly suppresses splenic cytotoxic activity and causes a significant reduction of spleen cells expressing ASGM1, Thy-1, and Lyt-2. In vitro treatment of spleen cells from transplanted mice with antibody and complement shows that the cytotoxic effector cells are ASGM1+, Thy-1+, Lyt-2+, L3T4-, NK1.1-, and H-2d-, hence of donor origin. The cytotoxic effector cells are specific for H-2d targets and lack NK activity. In an attempt to explore whether in vivo elimination of the cytotoxic effector cells has any influence on splenic chimerism or humoral immunity, F1 mice injected with parental splenocytes were treated with anti-ASGM 1. Results show that this treatment eliminates a substantial proportion of cytotoxic effector cells but has no effect on splenic chimerism or restoration of humoral immunity. It therefore appears that cytotoxic effector cells are not primarily responsible for induction of chimerism or suppression of humoral immunity. In support of this injection of parental spleen cells with the nu/nu mutation induces killer cells in F1 mice but fails to induce splenic chimerism or immunosuppression. In contrast, injection of parental spleen cells with the bg/bg mutation generates both splenic chimerism and suppression of humoral immunity although their ability to generate cytotoxic effector cells in F1 hosts is seriously impaired and comparable to the cytotoxic potential of C57BL/6 nu/nu cells. It is concluded that the ASGM1 + cytotoxic T cells are not primarily responsible for splenic chimerism and suppression of humoral immunity and that the two effects are likely caused by parental cells with a different phenotype and function.     

Induction of immune complex glomerulonephritis in F1 hybrid mice: superiority of cortisone-resistant parental thymocytes over spleen cells

Severe immune complex glomerulonephritis developed in (C57B1/10ScSn × DBA/2) F₁ hybrid mice after the injection of various dosages of cortisone-resistant thymus cells from DBA/2 donors. In contrast, significantly lower incidences of glomerulonephritis were induced when the same numbers of DBA/2 spleen cells were injected. The low nephritogenic capacity of spleen cells can be explained by their high content of B cells, assuming that parental B cells are not required for the induction of the disease. As T cells themselves are unable to produce humoral antibodies, the administration of parental cortisone-resistant thymus cells may enable B cells of the F₁ recipients to form the 7S antibodies deposited in the glomerular immune complexes.     

Colony-forming B cells in F1 hybrid and transplanted CBA/N mice.

The conditions for evaluation of suppressor cell regulation of the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses of peripheral blood (PB) B cells in normal individuals using allogeneic cocultures is described. In 14 separate experiments, after preincubation with concanavalin A (Con A) for 2 days, PB cells suppressed the PWM-induced anti-sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) PFC response of fresh allogeneic PB cells to 17% of the expected PFC response (P < 0.05). In addition, control cells incubated for 2 days in the absence of Con A suppressed the PWM- induced PFC response of allogeneic cells in 6 of 14 experiments to the same extent as did the Con A-generated cells (P < 0.01). It was found that unstimulated control cells (without Con A activation) from normal subjects who themselves were nonresponders to PWM stimulation (< 50 PFC/10⁶ cells) usually suppressed the PFC response of allogeneic cells (P < 0.05), while control cells from normal subjects who consistently had a good PFC response to PWM stimulation (> 75 PFC/10⁶ cells) did not suppress the PFC response of allogeneic cells. The spontaneously occurring suppressor cell in nonresponder PB cell suspensions was sensitive to 3000-R irradiation, and the nonresponder state was not associated with a decreased blastogenic response to PWM. Thus, some normal subjects who themselves had a poor PWM-induced PFC response had irradiation-sensitive, spontaneously occurring suppressor cells which were capable of suppressing the PWM-induced PFC response of normal responders. The majority of normal subjects (90%) were good PFC responders to PWM stimulation and did not spontaneously suppress the PFC response of allogeneic cells to PWM, but did have PB cells which were capable of being activated by Con A to suppress.     

IL-1 induces IL-1. III. Specific inhibition of IL-1 production by IFN-gamma

IL-1 possesses several biologic properties, some of which are associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. We have recently shown that IL-1 induces its own gene expression and, in the present studies, we have examined the effect of IFN-gamma on IL-1-induced IL-1 production. Whereas IFN-gamma increases the total amount of IL-1 (extracellular and cell-associated) produced after endotoxin stimulation of human PBMC, in the same cultures, IL-1-induced IL-1 production was markedly (greater than 70%) reduced in the presence of IFN-gamma. We observed this inhibition in the PBMC from over 40 human donors by employing non-cross-reacting RIA for either IL-1 beta or IL-1 alpha. IFN-gamma inhibited IL-1 beta-induced IL-1 alpha as well as IL-1 alpha-induced IL-1 beta production; furthermore, this inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma was unaffected by indomethacin. The ability of 100 U/ml of IFN-gamma to inhibit IL-1-induced IL-1 production was comparable to that accomplished by 10(-7) M dexamethasone. In contrast to its effect on IL-1 production from PBMC, IFN-gamma had no effect on the proliferative responses of T cells to IL-1. We conclude that IFN-gamma down-regulates synthesis of total IL-1-induced IL-1 production but up-regulates endotoxin-induced IL-1 production. These studies may explain the ameliorating effects of IFN-gamma in experimental models of IL-1-induced bone and cartilage degradation, in peritoneal fibrosis, and in patients with diseases associated with increased IL-1 production.     

Specific inhibition of cytotoxic memory cells produced against UV-induced tumors in UV-irradiated mice.

Cytotoxic responses of UV-irradiated mice against syngeneic UV-induced tumors were measured by using a 51Cr-release assay to determine if UV treatment induced a specific reduction of cytotoxic activity. The in vivo and in vitro primary responses against syngeneic tumors and allogeneic cells were unaffected, as was the "memory" response (in vivo stimulation, in vitro restimulation) against alloantigens. In contrast, the memory response of UV-treated mice against syngeneic, UV-induced tumors was consistently and significantly depressed. The cytotoxicity generated by tumor cell stimulation in vivo or in vitro was tumor-specific and T cell-dependent. Since the primary response against syngeneic UV-induced tumors produces apparently normal amounts of tumor-specific cytotoxic activity, UV-treated mice may not reject transplanted syngeneic tumors because of too few T effector memory cells. These results imply that, at least in this system, tumor rejection depends mostly on the secondary responses against tumor antigens and that at least one carcinogen can, indirectly, specifically regulate immune responses.     

Alterations in the expression of Ia antigens in F1 hybrid mice

The Ia.8 and 9 specificities detected either by conventional or monoclonal antisera (Ia.m3, 4) are present in strains bearing the b H-2 haplotype, but absent from those with the k haplotype. It would be expected that the (b x k)F₁ hybrids would have approximately half the amount of these specificities found on the b parent, but the Ia.8 and 9 specificities are absent or reduced in this F₁ hybrid, though not on F₁ LPS blasts. Examination of appropriate H-2 congenic strains demonstrated that only the k haplotype confers the absence of these specificities on H-2 ^b — it was not observed with b, d, q, r or s haplotypes. In the k haplotype the gene(s) responsible for this effect is mapped to the I-A ^k subregion. The reason for this low expression effect is not clear but the observation has important implications for the relationship of Ia specificities and Ir genes and may serve to explain the low responder status of certain F₁ hybrids, e. g., to TNP-mouse serum albumin, as observed elsewhere.     

Graft-vs-host reactions in F1 mice induced by parental lymphoid cells: nature of recruited F1 cells.

Graft versus host (GVH) reactivity of parental lymph node (LN) cells was assayed by measurements of 3H-thymidine incorporation in vivo. Mitomycin (Mit.) treatment of parental cells abolished their proliferative activity but the combination of such Mit.-treated parental cells with F1 LN cells resulted in much higher proliferation than either one population alone. This recruitment into proliferation of F1 cells was prominent on days 3 and 4 after cell injection and amounted to 35 to 51% of the total activity seen after injection of untreated parental cells alone. The F1 cell sensitive to recruitment was resistant to anti-Thy 1.2 treatment, was not removed by carbonyl iron-magnet separation; and was not present in thymus. The parental cell inducing recruitment was, however, sensitive to anti-Thy 1.2. When spleen cells from hapten immune F1 donors were injected together with Mit.-treated parental LN cells and boosted with hapten on another carrier, a typical "allogeneic effect" was observed in the anti-hapten immune response. It was concluded that Mit.-treated parental T cells exerted a mitogenic effect on F1 B cells resulting in extensive recruitment similar to that seen in murine mixed lymphocyte reactions.     

Independent regulation of serologically distinct idiotypes in F1 hybrid mice

We have investigated the regulation of expression of two distinct intrastrain cross-reactive idiotypes, CRI_A and CRI_C, characteristic of anti-p-azophenylarsonate (anti-Ar) antibodies of the A/J and BALB/c strains, respectively, in (BALB/c x A/J)F₁ (CAF₁) mice. Such hybrid mice were found to synthesize antibodies with each idiotype when immunized against the Ar hapten group, although the expression of each was significantly reduced as compared with the parental strain. CAF₁ mice were pretreated with idiotypic-specific antibody reagents and subsequently hyperimmunized against the Ar hapten. Analysis of the idiotypes present in immune sera showed that suppression of either CRI did not concomitantly suppress the expression of the other. Alteration of the expression of one idiotype was not, however, without influence on the other; the expression of CRI_C was markedly enhanced in mice suppressed for CRI_A.Abbreviations used in this paper anti-Id(A/J) idiotypic-specific antibodies against A/J serum Ar-specific antibodies - anti-Id(BALB/c) idiotypic-specific antibodies against BALB/c serum Ar-specific antibodies - Ar p-azophenylarsonate - BGG bovine -globulin - BSA bovine serum albumin - CAF₁ F(BALB/c x A/J) - CFA complete Freund's adjuvant - CRIA the major cross-reactive idiotype of A/J Ar-specific antibodies - CRI_C the major cross-reactive idiotype of BALB/c Ar-speck antibodies - CRI_m the minor cross-reactive idiotype of A/J Ar-specific antibodies - DTH delayed-type hypersensitivity - HP hybridoma product(s) - KLH keyhole limpet hemocyanin     

Immunologic tolerance to HGG in mice. I. Suppression of the HGG response in normal mice with spleen cells or a spleen cell lysate from tolerant mice.

Adoptive transfer of spleen cells or spleen cell lysates from mice tolerant to human-gamma-globulin (HGG) specifically suppressed the response of normal syngeneic recipients to HGG. The suppressive activity could be transferred for over 100 days after tolerance induction. The suppression induced by both spleen cells and spleen cell lysate was found to be specific as evidenced by a normal response to a challenge with turkey-gamma-globulin or goat erythrocytes. The activity of the suppressive lysate could be removed by passing the material through an HGG immunoadsorbent column but not by passing it through an anti-HGG column or a BSA column. These results indicated that the factor had antigen specificity and was probably not antigen-antibody complexes. That this suppression was not due to a shifting of the kinetics of the antibody response has also been demonstrated. The antigen-specific suppressor factor in the tolerant spleen cell lysates was a protein with a m.w. of approximately 45,000 daltons. The kinetics of the appearance of both suppressor cells and suppressor factor were consistent with a mechanism of active suppression functioning in the maintenance of tolerance to HGG.     

Two subgroups of T helper cells in F1 hybrid mice revealed by negative selection to heterologous erythrocytes in vivo.

Generalized suppression of immunoglobulin G (IgG) synthesis detectable by depressed responses to heterologous antigens may be a mechanism by which certain parasites evade host defenses and establish chronic infections. To determine if such a mechanism occurs in syphilis, rabbits were infected with Treponema pallidum, and at weekly intervals thereafter these rabbits and uninfected controls were sensitized with SRBC. Seven days later the number of antibody-forming cells present in the spleen was determined by the Jerne plaque technique. After a transient suppression in the 1st week, IgM-PFC were elevated from up to 7 weeks after infection. The IgG response to SRBC was depressed early in infection and continued to decline to less than one-tenth of control levels over the next few weeks persisting throughout overt infection and returning to normal by the end of 2 months. IgG-PFC, and 2-ME-resistant hemagglutinins and hemolysins were also significantly depressed in infected rabbits after two immunizing doses of SRBC. These results suggest that the depressed IgG response caused by syphilitic infection may enable treponemes to evade host immunity by interfering with immunoregulatory mechanisms.