[Characteristics of bunyavirus- and togavirus-induced nonspecific suppressors inhibiting delayed hypersensitivity].

Some properties and mechanisms of action of nonspecific suppressor cells, inhibiting delayed hypersensitivity to sheep red blood cells and activated in vivo in experimental tick-borne encephalitis and Tahyna virus infections in mice, have been studied. These nonspecific suppressor cells have been identified as T-lymphocytes in experiments with the use of antisera to T- and B-lymphocytes. The function of the suppressor cells can be realized without their proliferation and is mediated by a soluble factor whose formation requires the synthesis of protein. In respect to hydrocortisone, the above-mentioned suppressor cells are subdivided into 2 subpopulations: hydrocortisone-resistant in the thymus and hydrocortisone-sensitive in the spleen.