Abstract
A putative anti‐H‐Y receptor antiserum (ARA) was raised in C57BL/6 male mice against splenic T lymphocytes from syngeneic females immunized against H‐Y antigen. When this antiserum is given i.v. to C57BL/6 females it prevents the expression of H‐Y‐specific delayed‐type hypersensitivity (DTH). The suppressive activity in ARA was selectively retained on rabbit anti‐mouse immunoglobulin columns, and could be absorbed by H‐Y‐immune spleen cells from C57BL/6 female mice.
The abrogation of H‐Y DTH reactivity was at least in part due to the generation of suppressor T cells which are generated by ARA in naive female mice. ARA‐generated suppressor cells specifically ininhibit the induction phase of DTH responses to the H‐Y antigen, having no effect on (4‐hydroxy‐3‐nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP)‐specific cutaneous sensitivity responses or on DTH responses to minor histocompatibility antigens. Furthermore, there is a requirement for Igh gene homology between the strain producing the ARA and the strain in which the DTH response is induced. Thus, C57BL/6 ARA given to A.BY (H‐2^b^, Igh‐1^e^) or to B.C‐8 (H‐2^b^, Igh‐1^a^) mice was unable to suppress homologous H‐Y DTH responses in these strains. However, C57BL/6 ARA induced suppressor cells in B.C‐8 mice which were capable of inhibiting H‐Y DTH responses when adoptively transferred to C57BL/6 females.