Comparison of suppressor cells obtained from tumor-allosensitized adult and untreated neonatal mice.

Splenic suppressor cells from neonatal ("intrinsic") and adult (tumor-allosensitized) mice were compared. Both are non-antigen specific and non-H-2 restricted, and are Ly1+2+, I-J+, QA2+ T-cells. Injection of adult peritoneal exudate cells into neonates or adult tumor-allosensitized mice decreases suppressor cell activity, suggesting that macrophages may control the activity of both types of suppressor cells. Injection of neonatal or tumor-allosensitized adult spleen into neonatal mice prolongs suppressor cell activity in neonates. Skin allografts survive longer in tumor-allosensitized mice or recipients of tumor-allosensitized spleen cells. We have been unable to prolong skin allograft survival with neonatal spleen cells to survive and proliferate in an "adult" environment, and not to a basic difference between neonatal and adult suppressor cells. The results indicate that the phenotype and several functional properties are similar. This could suggest that the "intrinsic" neonatal and allogeneic tumor-induced adult suppressor cells are derived from the same cell lineage.