Idiotype suppression. II. Amplification of a suppressor T cell with anti‐idiotypic activity

Abstract Guinea pig IgG 2 anti‐idiotypic antibody (āId2) against the strain A/J antibody A5A has a suppressive effect on the expression of the A5A idiotype in adult A/J mice immunized with Group A streptococci. High doses of āId2 cause an immediate but transient suppression, whereas low doses of āId2 result in a delayed but chronic suppression which lasted for more than 1 year without any indication of recovery. Chronic suppression is transferred by as few as 10 5 spleen cells, but an interval of 6 weeks after transfer is required for completion of suppression. The suppressive capacity of āId2‐induced suppressor cells was virtually inexhaustable in 4 consecutive transfers spaced at 3 month intervals. The suppressor cell is a T cell which adheres to histamine‐rabbit serum albumin‐Sepharose 2B columns.