Alteration of clonal profile. II. Studies on the capacity of BALB/c splenic B cells to perpetuate responsiveness to phosphorylcholine and T 15 idiotypic dominance.

(CBA/N x BALB/c)F1 hybrid male mice are unable to mount anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses because they carry the CBA/N X-linked immune defect of B lymphocyte differentiation. Transplantation of splenic B cells from BALB/c mice restores responsiveness to thymus-dependent and thymus-independent PC antigens up to 8 months after cell transfer. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrate the donor origin of PFC generated in reconstituted (CBA/N x BALB/c)F1 mice. Although responsiveness to PC is restored permanently, a shift in idiotype expression that leads to the loss of T 15 idiotypic dominance 3 months after cell transfer can be detected. This shift originates from Ig- cells because Ig+ splenic cells purified in a fluorescence-activated cell sorter maintain T 15 dominance. Therefore, the Ig+ cells have a remarkable capacity to maintain responsiveness to antigens and can perpetuate idiotypic dominance if the stem cell pool is removed.