Effector and suppressor circuits of the immune response are activated in vivo by different mechanisms.

The application of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) onto the skin of mice induces a contact hypersensitivity immune response. Lymph nodes draining the skin painted with FITC contain fluorescent cells that induce contact hypersensitivity to FITC when injected into normal mice. The antigen-presenting cells responsible for activating the effector pathway of the contact hypersensitivity response express Ia histocompatibility determinants and are resistant to inactivation with gamma-radiation. Exposing the skin to low doses of UV radiation (280-320 nm) before the application of FITC suppresses the contact hypersensitivity response to FITC. Cells present in the draining lymph nodes of these mice induce suppressor T lymphocytes when injected into normal recipients. The inducer cells in the draining lymph nodes are Thy 1+, Ia- and are inactivated by gamma-radiation. These studies demonstrate that different mechanisms are involved in the in vivo activation of effector and suppressor immune responses, and they suggest that the mode of initial antigen presentation determines which immunologic circuit will be activated in response to a contact-sensitizing antigen.