T-independent form of azophenylarsonate fails to reveal "silent" idiotype-positive B cells in idiotype-suppressed mice.

In three distinct chronic Ig-specific suppression systems in which suppression was initiated by injection of mice with anti-idiotype (Id) or anti-allotype sera, evidence has been presented by others that the differentiation of B cells bearing surface Ig with a target marker (Id or allotype) need not be totally disrupted. Normally "silent" Id+ B cells from Id-suppressed mice could be revealed by certain procedures, one of these being to make use of the powerful stimulatory properties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. We have employed a similar strategy to determine whether cryptic CRIA+ B cells exist in significant numbers in hyperimmune, CRI-suppressed (HIS) A/J mice. Thus, following T cell removal, the Ar-specific B cell repertoire from HIS mice was probed using Ar- Brucella abortus as a T-independent Ag. No evidence for "silent" CRIA+ B cells was found. The results, taken in conjunction with those of others, suggests that there may exist multiple forms of long-term Ig-specific suppression.