Interleukins production and responsiveness in Fisher rats with adjuvant-induced disease: role of suppressor cells

Splenic macrophages from AID Fisher rats produce normal levels of IL-1, in contrast to IL-2 which is significantly lower than normal. A state of hyporesponsiveness of spleen cells to Con-A and PHA occurs with similar kinetics to and is correlated with the development of an articular arthritis; IL-1 addition to AID spleen cell cultures does restore to normal their deficient response, in contrast to addition of IL-2 or rIL-2. The spleen cells from normal or AID rats are equally sensitive to the inhibitory effects of suppressor glass adherent cells found in AID spleens on lymphocyte proliferation. Our results indicate that these suppressor cells interfere with IL-1 production or IL-1 binding to T-cells and that this interference is not due to passive absorption of interleukins by these cells.