Role of the H-2 complex in induction of T helper cells in vivo. II Negative selection of discrete subgroups of T cells restricted by I-A and I-A/E determinants.

Previous studies have shown that negative selection of T cells to sheep erythrocytes (SRC) after adoptive transfer to irradiated mice requires a sharing of H-2 determinants between the donor T cells and the selection hosts. This paper examines which part of the H-2 complex controls selection. The results show that, in the case of T cells of the H-2k haplotype, complete selection occurs with donor host matching limited to the I-A through I-E subregions of the H-2 complex. Selection to SRC was partial in I-A compatible, I-E incompatible hosts, minimal or not detectable in I-A incompatible, I-E compatible hosts, but near-complete in hosts matched at both the I-A and I-E subregions. Consecutive selection in hosts matched solely at (a) the I-A subregion and (b) the I-E subregion led to incomplete selection. From these and other findings it is argued that H-2k T cells comprise a mixture of T cells restricted by I-A and I-A/E hybrid molecules.