Multiple suppressive effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 on the immune response in chickens.

The immunosuppressive effect of human recombinant TGF-beta 1 on chicken immune responses in vitro was evaluated. TGF-beta 1 at 1-10 ng/ml reduced T cell proliferation in response to concanavalin A by 50-80% and B cell proliferation in response to LPS by greater than 90%. In contrast, when added to immune spleen cells, it reduced the secondary PFC response to sheep erythrocytes by less than 50%, particularly when added at the same time as antigen on Day 2 of incubation. When TGF-beta 1 was added during a 2-day incubation to nylon wool-nonadherent immune or normal spleen cells, it caused the maintenance and/or appearance of suppressor cells. These suppressor cells, in coculture with immune spleen cells, inhibited the secondary PFC response in vitro without any further exposure to TGF-beta 1. The phenotype of the cells giving rise to suppressor cells under the influence of TGF-beta 1 was CT8+, TCR2+(alpha,beta), CT4-, TCR1-(gamma,delta) cells. The results suggest that, in addition to direct suppressive effects on the proliferation of B cells and of some T cells, TGF-beta 1 may suppress immune responses by maintaining or by promoting the development of suppressor T cells.