Two types of suppressor T cells that inhibit delayed-type hypersensitivity to Mycobacterium intracellulare in mice.

Mycobacterium intracellulare Mino grows progressively in the organs of C57BL/6 mice. When C57BL/6 mice were injected with strain Mino, very weak or almost no delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to the specific antigen, M. intracellulare purified protein derivative, was observed. The DTH response was enhanced by cyclophosphamide pretreatment, indicating that some suppression mechanism(s) might be involved in DTH. In cell transfer experiments it was shown that two types of suppressor T cells, afferent type (TS-Aff) and efferent type (TS-Eff), are induced in the spleens of Mino-infected mice. TS-Aff were detected from the early stage to the late stage of infection. TS-Eff were detected only in the late stage of infection. These two types of suppressor T cells were both Thy-1 positive and Lyt-2 positive; however, TS-Aff seemed to be I-J positive, and TS-Eff seemed to be I-J negative. Cross-reactivity in suppression was observed between Mino and Mycobacterium bovis BCG but not between Mino and sheep erythrocytes. DTH to Mino and BCG was not cross-reactive. The possible role of suppressor T cells in M. intracellulare infection is discussed.