Purification and biochemical analysis of antigen-specific suppressor factors obtained from the supernatant, membrane, or cytosol of a T cell hybridoma.

A suppressor factor (TsF) specific for the synthetic terpolymer L-glutamic acid60-L-alanine30-L-tyrosine 10(GAT) produced by the T cell hybridoma 342B1.11 has been purified to apparent chemical homogeneity. This TsF was found in the cell culture supernatant, was associated with the cell membrane fraction, and was found in the cytosol. The supernatant form of TsF occurs as a single polypeptide chain of 29 to 30 k m.w., which easily forms aggregates of 65 k m.w. The membrane-associated form of TsF exists primarily as 65 k m.w., the cytosol TsF exists as both 65 and 29 to 30 k m.w. Amino acid analysis of each source of TsF shows the identical mole percent of amino acids, suggesting that all forms of TsF are derived from a single peptide of 29-30 k m.w. Analysis of the supernatant TsF by electroblot with the use of the anti-I-Js antisera (H-2s is the haplotype of the spleen cell donor) indicates that the polypeptide bears an I-J determinant, as do other TsF of this type.