Properties of ultraviolet light-induced suppressor lymphocytes within a syngeneic tumor system

It has been reported that ultraviolet light (uv) irradiation of normal C3Hf mice generates theta-positive suppressor lymphocytes which, as assayed by adoptive transfer studies, mediates susceptibility to transplanted syngeneic uv-induced tumors. We now report that the cells with suppressor activity can be recovered and enriched for using nylon wool columns. These suppressor cells are found in the nylon nonadherent fraction. Further, while uv irradiated mice are susceptible to supporting the growth of transplanted syngeneic uv tumors long after termination of the uv exposures, adoptively transferred suppression wanes and normal mice exhibit time-dependent recovery.