TCR ANTAGONISM AND T-CELL TOLERANCE CAN BE INDEPENDENTLY INDUCED IN ADR-RESTRICTED, HEMAGGLUTININ-SPECIFIC T-CELL CLONE

The outcome of TCR engagement with peptide - MHC is of central importa nce for the immune response of the host. TCR antagonism is one phenome non known which is characterized by selective inhibition of T cell res ponses by non-stimulatory antigen analogs. T cell anergy is another st ate resulting in T cell unresponsiveness, generally characterized by l ack of proliferation and lymphokine production. In the present study, the relationship between TCR antagonism and T cell anergy was examined by using protocols known to induce either phenomenon. Re-isolation ex periments demonstrated that antagonized T cells were not tolerized, in that they were fully capable of responding to a subsequent antigen ch allenge. Conversely, while high doses of soluble antigen could efficie ntly induce T cell tolerance, TCR antagonists, either alone or in conj unction with suboptimal antigen doses, could not. Taken together, thes e data demonstrate that TCR antagonism and T cell tolerance are phenom ena independent of each other.