Suppressor cell control of unresponsiveness to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Lymph node cells (LNC) from Lewis rats rendered unresponsive to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by pretreatment with myelin basic protein markedly suppressed clinical (but not histologic) EAE in normal recipients later challenged with an encephalitogenic emulsion. Unresponsiveness was immunologically specific, and required viable LNC; serum transfer was ineffective. These findings suggest that suppressor cells exert control over this autoimmune disease.