Deletion and anergy of adoptively transferred KJ1-26.1⁺ T cells following stimulation with SEB is restored by the cotransfer of BALB/c cells.

(A) Deletion: Naive or memory KJ1-26.1⁺ PLNCs were transferred into SCID mice, either alone (OVA, n = 4), or in a 1:1 ratio with 1 × 10⁶ BALB/c spleen cells (OVA + BALB, n = 8). Reconstituted SCID mice were then observed (open bars) or injected immediately with SEB (filled bars). Splenic KJ1-26.1⁺ cell numbers were determined 10 to 12 days later. The presence of BALB/c cells during adoptive transfer and SEB stimulation markedly decreased the subsequent yield of KJ1-26.1⁺ cells. Means ± SE are shown. The transfer of naive and memory KJ1-26.1⁺ T cells yielded similar results. Similar trends were observed in recipient lymph nodes. OVA − SEB, n = 4; OVA + SEB, n = 4; OVA + BALB − SEB, n = 12; OVA + BALB + SEB, n = 8. (B) Anergy: OVA: 10⁴ KJ1-26.1⁺ cells from SCID mice, injected 10 days earlier with OVA-SCID cells with or without SEB (open bars, no SEB; closed bars, SEB), were plated at a concentration of 1 to 2 × 10⁶ cells/mL (determined by the percentage of KJ1-26.1⁺ cells) onto 10⁵ irradiated (2000 cGy) BALB/c filler cells. OVA + BALB: 3 × 10³KJ1-26.1⁺ cells from SCID mice, injected 10 days earlier with a mixture of OVA-SCID and BALB/c cells with or without SEB (open bars, no SEB; closed bars, SEB), were similarly plated. KJ1-26.1⁺ cells were then stimulated with OVA peptide (1 μM) and proliferation (as determined by ³H-thymidine incorporation) was measured 48 hours later. The presence of BALB/c cells during adoptive transfer and SEB stimulation dramatically decreased the subsequent proliferative response of KJ1-26.1⁺ cells to OVA peptide. The means ± SE of 3 separate experiments, each performed in triplicate are shown.