T Cell‐Dependent Suppression of an Anti‐Hapten Antibody Response

Induction of tolerance at the level of the T lymphocyte has been demonstrated by several groups including our own (Basten et al. 1974). It generally requires a lower antigen concentration than is the case for B cell tolerance (Mitchison 1971a); it may be associated with nonnai or increased numbers of antigen binding B cells (Moller & Sjoberg 1972, Basten et al. 1974); it is stable on adoptive transfer (Basten et al. 1974); and it has, in certain circumstances, been shown to be infectious (McCullagh 1972, Gershon & Kondo 1971). Taken together these observations prompted us to test whether some forms of tolerance might be mediated, not by deletion of antigen reactive cells, but by some suppressor effect. The purpose of the present article is not to review the literature on T cell dependent suppression, but rather to describe some of the work in progress in our laboratories which indicates that tolerance to some protein antigens may be produced in a way that is efEective in generating suppressor cell activity.