Graft-versus-host reactions in F1 hybrid mice: MHC-restriction-independent generalized depression of virus-specific cytotoxic T cell response.

A graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) was induced in F1 hybrid mice by intravenous injection of parental spleen cells. A possible effect generated by recipient F1 mice of a GVHR on the restriction specificities of anti-viral cytotoxic T cells was investigated. (A/J X C57BL/6) F1 recipients were injected with 1 X 10(8) or 2 X 10(7) spleen cells from either parent. Zero to two weeks later during an acute GVHR or 12 to 26 weeks later during a chronic GVHR, spleen cells from these F1 recipients were assayed for their capacity to generate vaccinia (or lymphocytic choriomeningitis) virus-specific cytotoxic T cells. No effect was seen when parental cells were injected with virus on the same day. During the acute phase of the GVHR, recipients of spleen cells of both doses or from either parent injected 7 or 14 days previously generated markedly fewer cytotoxic T cells with respect to both parental restriction specificities. In the more chronic situation only, recipients of 1 X 10(8) parental spleen cells showed depressed virus-specific cytotoxic responses, again both restriction specificities were affected comparably. Therefore, a GVHR depresses generation of virus-specific cytotoxic T cells in a dose- and time-dependent way, but does not measurably disturb the balance of parental 1 versus parental 2 restriction specificity in an F1 recipient.