Generation of concanavalin A-induced suppressor cells in the cat.

Preactivation of feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells with mitogenic doses of concanavalin A resulted in suppression of proliferation when these cells were cocultured with untreated autologous cells. The degree of suppression was directly proportional to the preactivation time and ratio of preactivated to untreated cells. The generation, but not the activity, of the suppressor cells was dependent on DNA and protein synthesis. Pokeweed mitogen and phytohemagglutinin were also shown to be capable of inducing suppressor cell activity. Suppression was also observed in allogeneic cocultures. Supernatants from concanavalin A-preactivated cell cultures did not suppress proliferation of untreated cells.