Spontaneous IFN-beta production. A common feature of natural suppressor systems

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Immunol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6557253

Cleveland, M G; Lane, R G; Klimpel, G R

Natural suppression has been described in several immunologic systems in which splenocytes are not only incapable of generating an immune response, but are also able to non-specifically suppress normal splenocyte reactivity. Natural suppressor cells exist in such transitory immune deficiency states as graft vs host disease, irradiation recovery, and during neonatal development. We have found that when splenocytes from each of these three systems were placed in culture, IFN was produced spontaneously without stimulus. This spontaneous IFN production was augmented by the addition of IL-2 or granulocyte-macrophage-CSF to cell cultures. However, these lymphokines induced little or no IFN from normal splenocytes. This unusual IFN production is especially interesting since all samples have been typed to be IFN-beta. Additionally, greater IFN-beta was produced by these spleen cells during active suppression of the MLR of normal spleen cells. In fact, antibody to IFN-beta was shown to partially reverse the natural suppression mediated by graft vs host disease splenocytes in the MLR. Thus, IFN-beta production correlates extremely well with natural suppressor states. As mice begin to recover normal immune responses in all three systems, IFN-beta ceases to be produced spontaneously in culture. These findings establish a previously undescribed IFN-beta-producing splenic phenotype and suggest that IFN-beta may contribute to the immunoregulation of natural suppressor systems.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6557253
• Journal Information: J. Immunol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Immunol.; (United States) Vol. 141:6; ISSN JOIMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CHIMERAS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
GRAFT-HOST REACTION
GROWTH FACTORS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
IMMUNITY
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
INTERFERON
IRRADIATION
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
LYMPHOKINES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MICE
MITOGENS
MOSAICISM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATION CHIMERAS
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
SPLEEN CELLS
SYNTHESIS
VERTEBRATES