Characterization of low dose induced suppressor cells in adjuvant arthritis in rats.

Characterization of suppressor cells in adjuvant arthritis was performed by using highly susceptible DA strain rats. The results showed that suppressor cells were induced after a single inoculation of subarthritogenic dose of mycobacterial adjuvant. Relatively long incubation period was required for the induction of suppressor cells. Such cells were predominated in the draining lymph node and, after fractionation, only sIg- population was effective in conferring unresponsiveness. In vivo irradiation or hydrocortisone treatment suggested that low dose induced suppressor cells were resistant against such immunosuppressive treatments. In addition, by using alkyldiamine as a non-mycobacterial arthritogenic adjuvant, it was suggested that unresponsiveness induced by low dose priming with mycobacterial adjuvant was antigen specific.