Characterization studies of suppressor cells in murine bone marrow chimaeras.

When BALB/c bone marrow cells were transferred to lethally X-irradiated C3H/He mice either intrasplenically (i.s.) or intravenously (i.v.), suppressor cells were detected by means of MLR coculture assays in the spleen of i.s. and i.v. chimaeras. Some but not all of the suppressor cells expressed a Thy 1.2 antigen, indicating that suppressor cells either sensitive or insensitive to anti-Thy 1.2 antibody plus complement treatment were generated in the spleen of i.s. and i.v. chimaeras. According to the examination of Lyt alloantigen expression on suppressor T cells, Lyt 1+2-, Lyt 1-2+, and Lyt 1+2+ suppressor T cells appeared to be present. The culture supernatants from several T-cell clones showed the suppressor activity against alloreactive MLR. Cell surface markers of these clones were composed of Lyt 1+2-, Lyt 1+2+ and Lyt 1-2+. In addition, since Carrageenan treatment abrogated the suppressor activity of plastic dish adherent cells, we conclude that some of them were composed mainly of macrophages.