lnterleukin-2 Stimulates the Development of Anergy via the Activation of Nonspecific Suppressor T Cells.

We have previously demonstrated that incubation of splenic lymphocytes from an unimmunized mouse with IL-2 IFN-α or γ resulted in the development of a population of nonspecific regulatory cells (Ts). These cells were shown to block the ability of lymphocytes to generate mixed-lymphocyte responses in vitro. In the studies reported here, we have investigated the cell populations involved in this phenomenon.