Ir gene control of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to Sendai virus: H-2k mice are low responders to Sendai

H-2k mice generate a secondary in vitro cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to Sendai virus 20- to 100-fold weaker than those of other haplotypes tested (H-2b,d,q,s). This immune response defect maps to both H-2K and H-2D. H-2k x H-2d F1 mice (responder x nonresponder) only lyse targets that have the d allele at H-2K and/or H-2D. H-2k targets are equally lysable with anti-Sendai antibody. Furthermore, H-2k mice demonstrate normal antibody and T cell proliferation responses to Sendai virus. The Ir gene defect therefore appears to be limited to the generation of the cytotoxic T lymphocytes.