Cyclophosphamide-induced suppressor cells in nude mice

Lymphocytes regenerated after treatment with a high dose of cyclophosphamide (CY) were characterized in nude mice. Ten days after a single injection of 200 mg/kg CY into nude mice, regenerated spleen cells suppressed in vitro primary and second antibody production against sheep red blood cells. The CY-treated spleen cells exhibited normal natural killer (NK) activity, very low B and T cell content, but increases in cell surface charge [electrophoretic mobility (EPM)] and histamine receptors. The suppressor cells could not be removed by treatment with anti-Thy-1 plus complement (C), or treatment with antiasialo GM1 (aGM1) plus C, which abrogated NK activity. It was concluded that CY-treated spleen cells, which exhibited high EPM and histamine receptors, comprise the natural suppressor cells which are Ig-, Thy-1- and aGM-1.