Blood transfusion-induced suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity to allogeneic histocompatibility antigens.

In this study delayed-type hypersensitivity against histocompatibility antigens in mice was suppressed by a single donor-specific blood transfusion. Whole blood as well as purified white blood cells and purified red blood cells were capable of inducing suppression. White cells appeared more potent in inducing suppression than red cells. Suppression was dose-dependent, still detectable after administration of as little as 0.001 ml of whole blood and maximal at a dose of 0.1 ml. The suppression was already present a few hours after transfusion and proved to be long-lasting. The suppressive effect could be transferred to naive recipients by Thy-1+, L3T4-, Lyt-2+ spleen cells. This suppressor T cell population was of recipient origin--which excludes the possible involvement of "veto cells" and suppresses the afferent phase as well as the efferent phase of the DTH response.