T cell independent induction of antigen specific suppression of the antibody response

Summary Immune spleen cells (from mice given 2×10⁷ HRBC 14 days earlier) when mixedin vitro with carrier-primed syngeneic spleen cells (from mice given 2×10⁵ HRBC 3 days earlier) are able to suppress the anti-TNP and anti-HRBC PFC response to TNP-HRBC. If immune thymocytes are substituted for spleen cells suppression is not observed. This suppression is antigen specific, resistant to anti-T treatment or x-irradiation, and is exerted by nylon wool-retained cells of the immune spleen cell population. An antigen specific suppressive factor is released from immune spleen cells in culture. Under these experimental conditions, suppression appears to be mediated by a specific product of B rather than T cells present in the immune spleen cell population. This work was supported by CNEN-Euratom association contract. It is publication no. 1622 of the Euratom Biology Division.