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Tolerance as an active process

Nature volume 288, pages 385–387 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

The clonal deletion model proposed by Burnet1 and Lederberg2 and expanded by Nossal3 was one of the first theories concerning the nature of tolerance to self constituents. The model proposed that during the maturation of lymphocytes into immunocompetent cells, there is a sensitive differentiation stage whereby contact with antigen results in specific inactivation of the cell. Experimental evidence indicates that neonatal or immature B lymphocytes are indeed different from adult lymphocytes in their extreme sensitivity to tolerance induction even at low antigen concentrations and with antigens that are normally immunogenic3–9. The present study examines the mechanism of this tolerance phenomenon by determining whether or not tolerance of immature B cells is an active process and what specific interactions can induce this event. We used various putative inhibitors of tolerance induction in the splenic focus assay4 which examines the tolerance susceptibility of individual B cells. The results suggest that tolerance requires protein synthesis and that this process is initiated only after a minimum threshold affinity of binding occurs between antigen and cell-surface receptor with subsequent receptor interlinkage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Cellular and Developmental Immunology, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California, 92037

    Judy M. Teale & Norman R. Klinman

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  1. Judy M. Teale
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  2. Norman R. Klinman
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Teale, J., Klinman, N. Tolerance as an active process. Nature 288, 385–387 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/288385a0

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