¹ From the Department of Experimental Pathology, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California 92037

The data presented in this paper support the hypothesis that unresponsiveness to autologous thyroglobulin (Tg) exists in the T cells and responsiveness exists in the B cells. Such a conclusion is based on the results of antigen-binding studies where few, if any, thymocytes recognized syngeneic Tg. Comparable numbers of antigen-binding lymphocytes for syngeneic Tg were found in the spleens of normal intact mice and of nude mice. The latter fact suggested that B cells exist which recognize self-constituents. From antigen-suicide experiments, a clearer picture of the susceptibility of B cells to iodinated self-antigen and of the obligatory role of antibody in the induction of lesions was developed. Only bone marrow cells (B cells) were affected by [¹²⁵I]syngeneic Tg, in which case the incidence of lesions was diminished. From adoptive transfer experiments, the results demonstrate that unresponsiveness may be terminated by immunization with a mixture of heterologous (cross-reacting) Tg's. In this situation T cells are required since a B-cell reconstituted host failed to make antibody (plaque-forming cells) and to develop lesions. T cells in this form of an unresponsive state may recognize determinants on the heterologous Tg unrelated to autologous Tg and as such stimulate the normal complement of B cells to produce antibody that both reacts with autologous and heterologous Tg.

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