Antigen-reactive T clones. III. Low responder antigen-presenting cells function effectively to present antigen to selected T cell clones derived from (High Responder x Low Responder)F1 mice.

Long-term-cultured poly(Tyr, Glu)-poly-D,L,-Ala-poly-Lys [(T,G)-A--L]-reactive T cells and clones derived from (high responder x low responder)F1 [(C57BL/6 x A/J)F1] mice were shown to recognize (T,G)-A--L presented by cells from low responder strain A/J mice. The antigen-presenting determinant(s) that allowed recognition of (T,G)-A--L by such T cell clones was controlled by the I-A subregion of the major histocompatibility complex. These results suggest that there is no functional defect in the ability of low responder Ir gene products (I-A antigens) to associate with (T,G)-A--L for effective recognition by T cells. Although these results might tentatively be interpreted to suggest that Ir gene-controlled low responsiveness is due to the inability of the T cell to recognize the association between (T,G)-A--L and low responder I-A gene products, it is similarly possible that there might be a defect in the functional capabilities of low responder antigen-presenting cells to effectively process (T,G)-A--L into immunodominant epitopes.