Murine interstitial nephritis. V. The auto-induction of antigen-specific Lyt-2⁺ suppressor T cells diminishes the expression of interstitial nephritis in mice with antitubular basement membrane disease

We observed the emergence of an antigen-specific Lyt-2⁺ suppressor T cell after the i.v. injection of tubular antigen-derivatized lymphocytes into mice already immunized to produce interstitial nephritis. The auto-induction of these suppressor T cells effectively attenuated both the expression of renal injury and a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to tubular antigen. This suppressive effect was also genetically restricted by gene products in I-J and Igh-1. Although this suppressor system had a marked inhibitory effect on the nephritogenic effector cell repertoire, there was no diminution of titers of antibodies to the tubular basement membrane. Our results demonstrate a protective role for antigen-specific suppressor cells in autoimmune renal injury, and the strategy for their induction may have important therapeutic implications for other immune-mediated disorders.