Effect of antigen-specific stimulation on suppressor activity of anergic T cells.
Suppressor activity of anergic T cells was found to require antigen-specific stimulation. Anergic alloantigen-specific CD4+ (1 × 105) or tyrosinase-specific CD8+ T cells (5 × 104) (ATs) were cocultured with syngeneic activated T cells (CTs) (1 × 105 or 5 × 104) and stimulated with allogeneic DCs (2 × 104 or 5 × 104) used for the induction of anergy or without APCs. Subsequently, the T cells were rescued, cultured for 4 to 5 days without additional stimulation (DCs or IL-2) to remove the anergic T cells, and then cocultured with allogeneic DCs to test the suppressor activity as described in detail in “Materials and methods.” Proliferation was measured after an additional 16-hour pulse with 3H-Tdr by means of a liquid scintillation counter. One of 3 representative experiments is shown.
