Specifically decreased MLC response of lymphocytes from CBA mice injected with cells from the H-2-compatible, M-antigen-incompatible strain C3H. Lack of such effect after injection of H-2-disparate C3H-hybrid cells.

The mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) response of lymphocytes from CBA mice against C3H cells was studied after injection of spleen cells from C3H mice or C3H hybrids. Intravenous infusion of C3H cells resulted in a strongly suppressed specific MLC response, but this was not the case when cells from H-2-incompatible hybrids of C3H mice were injected. However, when mixtures of cells from the two parental strains--C3H cells and H-2-incompatible cells--were injected into CBA mice, there was a strongly suppressed MLC response to C3H cells. Mice that were hybrids between CBA and an H-2-disparate strain showed a depressed MLC response against C3H after injection of cells from hybrids between C3H and the same H-2-disparate strain. The results may indicate that a suppression of the MLC response to the strongly stimulatory non-H-2 antigen on C3H lymphocytes develops only when the immunizing cells can survive in the host for long periods, thus exhausting the pool of specifically responsive cells. The presence of another foreign transplantation antigen, such as H-2, on the same cells shortens the survival of the cells in the recipient.