Control of autoimmune responses induced with modified self antigens.
Our previous studies suggested the TNP-modified syngeneic red blood cells induced a humoral autoimmune response in mice with a defective T cell function but not in normal mice. This report describes the continuation of these studies in which we elucidated the auto-delayed-type hypersensitivity response of mice with a defective T cell function. The mice were immunized with syngeneic TNP-modified spleen cells and challenged 14 d later by injecting syngeneic nonmodified con A-stimulated spleen cells into the footpad. The DTH response was assessed 24 hr later. Adult thymectomized, x-irradiated (250 rad), and Cy-treated mice injected with syngeneic TNP-Sc generated a DTH response when subsequently challenged with syngeneic blast cells but not when challenged with allogeneic blast cells. In contrast, normal mice treated in a similar manner did not exhibit a significant DTH response. The auto-DTH response of x-irradiated mice injected with TNP-Sc was abrogated when they were simultaneously transplanted with syngeneic spleen cells or nylon wool-passed syngeneic spleen cells. If the transplanted splenocytes had been treated with anti-Thy 1 serum and complement, they failed to abrogate the auto-DTH response of the above-mentioned mice. These results suggest that suppressor cells are programmed to control the autoimmune response induced with modified self antigens.