The effect of ultraviolet radiation-induced suppressor cells on T-cell activity

The suppression of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) after a single exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation provides an excellent model system with which to study both the activation and the mode of action of suppressor T cells. Suppression of CHS after UV radiation is mediated by hapten-specific suppressor T cells (UVTs). These cells have a broad range of activity: CHS and antibody production in vivo and the generation of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) and T-cell proliferative responses in vitro are suppressed by UVTs. The present study is concerned with determining the target of UVTs. The UVTs could suppress the response to hapten-modified T-dependent antigens, such as trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified sheep erythrocytes (TNP-SRBC) or TNP-conjugated bovine serum albumin (TNP-BSA), but had no suppressive effect on the response to a T-independent antigen, TNP-conjugated lipopolysaccharide (TNP-LPS). The UVTs also suppressed the generation of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in vitro. The suppression of CTL generation in vitro and CHS in vivo could be overcome by the addition of exogenous IL-2. These data suggest that UVTs suppress the immune response by affecting T-helper cell function.