Characterization of suppressor T-cells induced with concanavalin A in vivo by cell electrophoresis.

Abstract

The splenic T-cells of concanavalin A (Con-A)-injected mice suppressed the in vitro Con A-induced splenic blastogenesis of normal mice. We examined electrophoretic mobilities (EPM) and surface markers of Con A-induced suppressor T-cells as a model of suppressor T-cells. The EPM of the suppressor cells with both Thy-1 and gangliotetraosyl-ceramide (asialo GM1) was lower than that of normal T-cells. The ratio of low mobility T-cells (LMT) to high mobility T-cells (HMT) correlated significantly with dose-response and time-course of Con A in the suppressor activity and with the percentages of cells carrying asialo GM1 antigen and receptor for peanut agglutinin. For in vitro induction by Con A, Lyt-2+ cells were reported to have suppressor activity. However, for in vivo induction by Con A, Lyt-2+ cells did not correlate with the suppressor activity in the dose-response and time-course experiments. By separating the Lyt-subsets, it was found that both Lyt-1+2+ and Lyt-1+2- subsets were suppressor cells in the blastogenesis. The suppressor activity of in vivo Con A-induced spleen cells correlated with the LMT/HMT ratio, but not with the analysis of Lyt-phenotype. These results suggested that lymphocytes electrophoresis clearly distinguished Con A-induced suppressor T-cells with low EPM from normal T-cells.