The role ofH-2 regions in overcoming tissue incompatibility

Neonatal transplantation tolerance to the products of theH-2^b complex was induced in B10.A (H-2^a) mice. On the basis of the survival of skin allografts it was found that antigens determined by theD region of theH-2^b complex (of the B10.A(2R) strain) were most easily overcome and that tolerance to the products of theD end of theH-2 complex (of the B10.A(4R) strain) was also easy to induce. The antigens produced by theK end ofH-2 (of the B10.A(5R) and B10.A(3R) strains) represented a stronger incompatibility barrier and a difference in the entireH-2^b complex caused strongest resistance to tolerance induction. When tolerance to the products of the entireH-2^b complex was induced in newborn B10.A mice, and the neonatally treated animals were grafted simultaneously with five different grafts, those disparate at theK end ofH-2 and in the entireH-2 region were rejected in some animals, while the grafts disparate at theD end of H-2 remained intact in the same mice. No dependence on theI-J subregion was observed in this system. Furthermore, tolerance was more easily inducible in male than in female B10.A mice.