Mechanism of suppression of cloned human suppressor T cells

We report the mechanism of suppression of suppressor T cell clone III-1-C5 using helper T cell clone III-1-B6, mitogen responses and rIL-2. Clone III-1-C5 suppressed the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) by secreting alloantigen non-specific, MHC non-restricted suppressor factor(s). Clone III-1-C5 did not suppress mitogen (PHA, Con A, PWM) response nor proliferation by exogeneous rIL-2. Clone III-1-C5 suppressed proliferation by clone III-1-B6, which augments proliferation by direct cell to cell contact with responder cells and not by soluble factors. These results indicated that suppressor T cells exhibit suppressive effects not only by inhibiting IL-2 synthesis but by inhibiting the direct effects of helper T-cells.