ROLE OF SUPPRESSOR CELLS IN IMMUNOLOGICAL MATURATION1

Abstract

Neonatal mice exhibit high suppressor cell activity that can be measured by the ability of their spleen cells to suppress the in vitro response of adult mouse spleen cells to alloantigens in mixed lympocyte culture. The changes in splenic suppressor cell activity after birth were compared with the changes in immunological maturity, the latter being measured by mixed lymphocyte reactivity of the neonatal spleen cells. There apparently are significant strain differences in the postnatal changes of suppressor cell activity. Four of the 5 mouse strains tested (C57BL/6, B10.A(5R), B10.A and DBA/2) demonstrate a good correlation between the decrease in suppressor cell activity and increase in mixed lymphocyte reactivity of mouse spleen cells after birth. In 1 strain (B10.A(3R)) the suppressor cell activity drops to adult levels before full mixed lymphocyte reactivity is achieved. Although suppressor cells may have a role in immunological maturation, other factors may contribute to the development of immunocompetence.