The role of lymphoid cells in antibody-induced suppression of the fourth component of guinea pig complement

Suppression of measles virus expression by noncytolytic antibody in an immortalized macrophage cell line

Immune regulation of measles virus (MV) expression was studied in a persistently infected mouse macrophage cell line. Synthesis of both membrane-associated and internal MV antigens was suppressed when infected macrophages were treated with polyclonal rabbit anti-MV antibody that was specific for MV proteins. Persistently infected macrophages were treated for 3, 5, or 7 days with increasing doses of anti-MV antibody. All MV proteins were down-regulated 2 days after treatment was terminated. One week after treatment was terminated, down-regulation was still evident but to a lesser degree. MV protein synthesis was suppressed whether or not complement components were inactivated by heating all serum supplements and antibodies. However, when complement was active, cell lysis accounted for some of the reduced MV protein synthesis. When lytic destruction of infected cells by antibody and complement was prevented by inactivation of complement, antibody alone reduced the cellular synthesis of viral proteins by noncytolytic mechanisms. The absence of cell death in the absence of complement was confirmed by the lack of 51Cr release from labeled cells, the lack of reduction in cell number, and the lack of a decrease in total protein synthesis when radiolabeled infected cells were treated with antibody. It is noteworthy that low doses of antibody were optimal for suppression in the longer-term experiments and did not cause lysis, even in the presence of active complement. Since infected macrophages disseminate virus in measles infection, noncytolytic regulation of these cells by antibody may supplement viral clearance by cytolytic T cells and other immune mechanisms.

T lymphocytes mediate immunologic control of C3 gene expression

Immunologic control of C3 gene expression by tissue macrophages can be accomplished by treatment of spleen fragments with anti-C3 antibody. We now demonstrate that suppression of C3 requires participation of T lymphocytes of both the CD4+ and CD8+ phenotypes. Pretreatment of splenic tissue with anti-Thy-1.2 monoclonal antibody blocks the ability of the anti-C3 antibody to induce C3 suppression. Reduction in either the CD4+ or CD8+ subpopulations of T lymphocytes also abrogates C3 suppression demonstrating that both T cell subsets are required in addition to the inducing antibody. Artificially elevating intracellular levels of cAMP with cholera toxin can partially substitute for the effects mediated by T cells in this reaction. Therefore, normal expression of the C3 gene can be suppressed by a regulatory network that requires the presence of a specific inducing antibody and T lymphocytes of both the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. This regulatory network has many similarities to regulatory networks that have been well documented in suppression of specific murine immunoglobulin allotypes.