Lymphokine profile and activation pattern of two unrelated antigenor idiotype-specific T suppressor cell clones*
TwoT suppressor (T,) clones of different specificity have been analyzed for their lymphokine spectrum. BVI/5 is an I-Ek-restricted bovine serum albumin (BSA)-specificT, cell clone from a CBA/J mouse tolerized by low doses of BSA. It affects directly or indirectly the function of BSA-specificT helper (Th) cells. The T, cell clone 178-4 from a BALBk mouse is I-Ed restricted and recognizes the public 5558 Id on B cells. It prevents a(1+3)dextran B 1355s (Dex)-specific IgG antibody production and drives Dex-specific 5558 idiotype-bearing B cells into an anergic B IgG memory cell state. Both T, cell clones thus cause specific suppression, yet in different experimental systems using different effector mechanisms. Upon stimulation with concanavalin A or fixed CD3-specific monoclonal antibody, both clones produce high levels of interferon (1FN)-y and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) but in contrast to Thl cells no interleukin (1L)-2. Both clones produce low levels of IL-3 and IL-6 but no IL-4, IL-5 and IL-9. Furthermore, unlikeTh2 cells, both clones do not respond to IL-1.The mechanism of the idiotype-specific induction of anergy in Dex-specific B IgG memory cells by 178-4 T, cells is not yet understood. BVI/5 T, cells suppress in vitro the BSA-specific proliferation of the BSA-specific Th cell clone 83/1, as well as the response of BSA-primed CBA/ LN cells. Whereas the suppressive effect on 83/1 cells is due to IFN-y alone the suppression of BSA-specific lymph node cells can be simulated neither by IFN-y nor the combination of IFN-y and TNF.Thus these mediators cannot account for the antigen-specific suppression by BVI/5 T, cells in polyclonal in vitro responses from lymph node cells and probably not for the induction of in vivo unresponsiveness.