Myeloid Suppressor Lines Inhibit T Cell Responses by an NO-Dependent Mechanism

CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid suppressor cells (MSC) accumulate in lymphoid organs under conditions of intense immune stress where they inhibit T and B cell function. We recently described the generation of immortalized MSC lines that provide a homogeneous source of suppressor cells for dissecting the mechanism of suppression. In this study we show that the MSC lines potently block in vitro proliferation of T cells stimulated with either mitogen or antigenic peptide, with as few as 3% of MSC cells causing complete suppression. Inhibition of mitogenic and peptide-specific responses is not associated with a loss in IL-2 production or inability to up-modulate the early activation markers, CD69 and CD25, but results in…