Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be used to induce an antigen-specific suppression of the immune response. After a single exposure to UV radiation mice are incapable of responding to contact allergens applied epicutaneously to unirradiated skin or to sheep erythrocytes injected subcutaneously. The hypothesis to be tested during the course of this project is: can a single exposure of mice to UV radiation, prior to antigenic sensitization with allogeneic spleen cells, result in the development of an antigen-specific suppression of the immune response to the allogeneic spleen cells. This hypothesis will be tested by sensitizing UV-irradiated mice with allogeneic spleen cells and measuring the effect UV radiation has on the generation of delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) in vivo, and the proliferative resonse of spleen cells from the UV-irradiated mice in a one way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro. Results from preliminary experiments have indicated that allogeneic sensitizaiton of a UV-irradiated mouse does cause a suppression of the repsonse to alloantigens. Both DTH and MLR are suppressed. The suppression is specific for the antigen used to sensitize the UV-irradiated mouse and suppressor cells are found in the spleens of the UV-irradiatied animals.
The specific aims of this project are: 1. To establish an experimental model system to study the suppression of the response to allogeneic antigens. 2. To determine if the survival of allografts can be prolonged by a single exposure to UV radiation. 3. To establish the mechanism by which UV radiation causes suppression of the immune response. The long term goal of this project is to detemrine if a single treatment with UV radiation can be used to induce an antigen-specific suppression of allograft rejection. The experiments outlined in this proposal are designed to determine the feasibility of the long term goal.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Unknown (R23)
Project #
5R23CA042936-03
Application #
3446954
Study Section
General Medicine A Subcommittee 2 (GMA)
Project Start
1986-07-01
Project End
1989-06-30
Budget Start
1988-07-01
Budget End
1989-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Type
Hospitals
DUNS #
001910777
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Kim, T Y; Kripke, M L; Ullrich, S E (1990) Immunosuppression by factors released from UV-irradiated epidermal cells: selective effects on the generation of contact and delayed hypersensitivity after exposure to UVA or UVB radiation. J Invest Dermatol 94:26-32
Magee, M J; Kripke, M L; Ullrich, S E (1989) Inhibition of the immune response to alloantigen in the rat by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Photochem Photobiol 50:193-9
Magee, M J; Kripke, M L; Ullrich, S E (1989) Suppression of the elicitation of the immune response to alloantigen by ultraviolet radiation. Transplantation 47:1008-13
Ullrich, S E; Alcalay, J; Applegate, L A et al. (1989) Immunosuppression in phototherapy. Ciba Found Symp 146:131-9;discussion 139-47
Ullrich, S E; Magee, M (1988) Specific suppression of allograft rejection after treatment of recipient mice with ultraviolet radiation and allogeneic spleen cells. Transplantation 46:115-9
Ullrich, S E (1987) The effect of ultraviolet radiation-induced suppressor cells on T-cell activity. Immunology 60:353-60
Ullrich, S E (1987) UV-induced suppression of the immune response to alloantigens. Transplant Proc 19:624-5