The Journal of Immunology, Vol 127, Issue 1 8-13, Copyright © 1981 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Specificity of H-2-linked Ir gene control in mice: demonstration of T helper cells recognizing branched synthetic polypeptides in low responder mice

H Stotter, A Imm, M Meyer-Delius and E Rude

This report provides evidence for the presence of T helper cells capable of recognizing the polypeptide antigens T6-A--L and (H,G)-A--L in low responder mice of H-2k and H-2b haplotypes, respectively. Mice were primed in vivo with the T6-A--L-avidin-(H,G)-A--L complex or, in the case of T6-A--L in H-2k mice, with the cross-reactive and permissive antigen T6-S--L. T helper cells cooperating with DNP-primed B cells could be rechallenged in vitro with the DNP-conjugates of T6--A- -L or (H,G)-A--L, although the cells were of low responder type with respect to these antigens. This implies that T cell-macrophage interaction required for restimulation is apparently not defective in these low responders. The implications of these results for the concept of Ir gene control are discussed.