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Previous studies have demonstrated that I-J-subregion-controlled Ia antigens are only expressed on a small subpopulation of peripheral T lymphocytes which includes the suppressor T cells of antibody responses (6). This subpopulation of T cells cannot be detected by conventional dye-exclusion cytotoxicity tests. A sensitive rosetting procedure therefore was developed for detecting the binding of anti-Ia antibodies to T lymphocytes. This assay system, unlike the complement lysis technique, has a low background and since it represents a direct binding assay could detect noncomplement-fixing antibodies in the antisera. Anti-Ia sera were absorbed with B cells and using the rosetting procedure in genetic mapping studies the remaining antibodies were found to be directed against I-J-subregion-controlled determinants. These determinants were shown to be highly haplotype specific for H-2(k) and H-2(s) and appeared to be exclusively expressed on Ly-l.l(-), Ly2.1(+), T lymphocytes, at least some of which were suppressor T cells. Lymphoid organs differed in their content of anti-I-J-reactive cells, the hierarchy being spleen, lymph node more than thymus, bone marrow. In contrast, on a T-cell basis, a high proportion (35 percent) of the T cells in bone marrow reacted with anti-I-J antibodies, a substantial proportion (13 percent) of T cells from spleen were reactive, whereas the lymph node and thymus T-cell populations contained only a small proportion of positive cells (1-4 percent).

A mouse anti-rat xenogeneic antiserum, B10.D2 anti-BN, has been found to react with a subpopulation of lymphoid cells of certain mouse strains. The corresponding alloantiserum, B10.D2 anti-B10.BR, reacted in analogous fashion with lymphoid cells of BN rats. In the case of the cross-reaction on mouse cells, mapping studies indicated that at least part of the reactivity was with the product of gene(s) determined by the I-A subregion of the H-2 complex. Chemical isolation studies with radiolabeled cell surface preparations indicated that the antigens detected in both mouse and rat had mol wt characteristic of Ia antigens (35,000 and 28,000 dalton molecules). Testing of fractionated spleen cell populations revealed that the cross-reactive antigens were expressed predominatly on B cells, but that a subpopulation of T cells were also reactive. Wider strain and species distribution studies are in progress to determine the extent of such Ia cross-reactions between species and to further assess the practical and theoretical importance of such cross-reactions.

Poly (2'-azido-2'-deoxyinosinic acid), [poly (Iz)], was synthesized from 2'-azido-2'-deoxyinosine diphosphate by the action of polynucleotide phosphorylase. Poly (Iz) has UV absorption properties similar to poly (I) and hypochromicity of 11% at 0.15M Na+ and neutrality. In solutions of high Na+ ion concentration, poly (Iz) forms a multi-stranded complex and its Tm at 1.0M Na+ ion concentration was 43 degrees. Upon mixing with poly (C), poly (Iz) forms a 1:1 complex having a Tm lower than that of poly (I)-poly (C) complex in the same conditions. The effect of substitution at the 2'-position of the poly (I) strand was discussed in relation to the interferon-inducing activity.