Mice which are genetic nonresponders to the random terpolymer of L glutamic acid L alanine L tyrosine (GAT) not only fail to develop GAT specific antibody responses when stimulated with soluble GAT either in vivo or in vitro, but develop GAT specific T cells which suppress the GAT specific plaque forming cell response of normal nonresponder mice stimulated with GAT complexed to methylated bovine serum albumin (MBSA). Thus, both responder and nonresponder mice have T cells which recognize GAT. However, nonresponder mice can develop GAT specific helper T cells of immunized with GAT bound to MBSA or to macrophages. The relevance of Ir gene controlled responses is discussed.
