Regulatory mechanisms in cell-mediated immune responses. III. I-region control of suppressor cell interaction with responder cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions.

Active suppression of mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) response is mediated by a soluble factor released by alloantigen-activated murine suppressor cells. Genetic restrictions controlling suppressor factor interaction with MLR responder cells were elucidated in this study. Non-H-2 genetic background was irrelevant to effective interaction. Using congenic strains and strains with intra-H-2 recombinants the genetic locus controlling suppressor T-cell-responder cell interaction was mapped in the I-C or S regions of the H-2 complex. Similarly, recombinant strains were used to exclude the presence of another suppressor cell-responder cell interaction locus in K,I-A, and I-B regions. It thus appears that the I-C subregion of the H-2 complex controls suppressive cell interactions in this T-cell-mediated immune response.