Requirement for OKT8+ suppressor cell proliferation for suppression by human newborn T cells.

The percentage of cells bearing the suppressor phenotype OKT8+increases in PWM-stimulated cultures of human newborn lymphocytes. Prevention of this increase either by adding 50 microM deoxyguanosine to the cultures of by pretreating the newborn cells with OKT8 and complement reduced the suppressor activity of newborn T cells. These results suggest that newborn T cells are not intrinsically suppressive, but that they become so in vitro after stimulation by PWM.