The role of the macrophage in genetic control of the immune response.

The ability of an animal to mount an immune response is controlled by a number of autosomal dominant immune response (Ir) genes that are linked to the major histocompatibility complex of the species. In the guinea pig, alloantiserums raised by cross-immunization of inbred strain 2 and strain 13 animals specifically inhibited the in vitro proliferative responses of (2 X 13) F1 lymphocytes to those antigens the response to which is controlled by Ir genes linked to the alloantigens against which the serums are directed. A genetic analysis indicated that the inhibitory activity of the alloantiserums was directed against the alloantigens rather than the products of specific Ir genes. The interaction of antigen-pulsed macrophages with immune T lymphocytes is also mediated by the 2/13 alloantigens and alloantiserums are capable of inhibiting macrophage-T lymphocyte interaction. Studies involving combinations of macrophages and lymphocytes that differed at alloantigens or Ir gene products or both raised the possibility of the expression of the Ir gene product in the macrophage.