Suppressor T-cells generated in mice late afrer thermal injury

Abstract

The second suppressive state (S-SupS) in interferon (IFN) response was demonstrated when mice with third-degree burns of apporoximately 30% of the body surface area (burned mice) and its spleen cells were stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), a gamma IFN inducer. The first suppressive state in IFN production, appearing 3 to 7 days after thermal injury, was mediated by the generation of splenic suppressor macrophages. The S-SupS was demonstrated approximately 3 weeks after thermal injury, it persisted almost 2 weeks, and gradually disappeared by 7 weeks. Splenic mononuclear cells (MNC) of mice during S-SupS inhibited IFN production when they were co-cultured with normal mouse splenic MNC in the presence of concanavalin A. This suppressor cell activity could not be removed from burned mouse splenic MNC by carbonyl iron treatment, by a technique of adherence to plastic surface, or by treatments with anti-mouse immunoglobulin or anti-Lyt 1.2 monoclonal antibody and complement. However, the suppressor cell activity was inactivated by anti-Thy 1.2 or anti-Lyt 2.2 monoclonal antibodies plus complement. These results suggest that two different cell populations exist at different time periods after burn injury, and the secondarily generated suppressor cell was a T cell possessing the Lyt 1^-2⁺ phenotype.