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The present experiments were undertaken to delineate the role of LD and SD antigens in terms of memory in cell-mediated immune response (CML). Using recombinants that differ for either the H-2K or H-2D determinants (SD-different) and other recombinants differing for the central region of H-2 (LD-different), we have investigated this question. The results indicate that priming to SD determinants leads to a more rapid and higher response when cells are restimulated in vitro with either the same SD antigen alone or the same SD plus an LD antigen and tested on target cells that possess either the SD antigen alone or both the LD and SD antigen. Antigens in the central regions of H-2, which includes LD, serve as the stimulus both for the helper T cells and for the cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Priming with a high dose of LD antigens leads to memory in the cytotoxic T lymphocyte recognizing the cytotoxic target antigens coded by the central region of H-2. Nevertheless, memory could not be detected when priming was done under the same conditions as for SD antigens. Moreover, a primed helper T-cell response does not facilitate the development of increased CML on restimulation in vitro with the LD antigen used for priming and a new SD antigen. Thus, it seems that memory in CML is in the cytotoxic T lymphocyte and not in the proliferating helper cells.

Tolerance was induced against cytotoxic target determinants coded for by genes of the I region. Neonatal recipients were immunized with high doses of cells from an I region incompatible donor. Nonreactivity in adult life did not reflect extensive donor cell chimerism, since the great majority of cells in spleens of animals rendered tolerant were of host phenotype. Although specific nonresponsiveness in CML could be induced by these protocols, the MLC proliferative response was in most cases still present alghough very much decreased. In only a very occasional animal was complete nonreactivity in MLC seen. The nonresponse in CML was paralleled by acceptance of thyroid allografts as measured by radioactive iodine incorporation and morphological studies.