Lack of T Cell Tolerance in Mice Exposed to a Protein Antigen through Lactation

Offspring of mother mice treated immediately after delivery with deaggregated human γ-globulins (dHGG) are unable to produce HGG-specific antibodies when challenged with immunogenic forms of HGG (HGG/CFA) in adulthood. Despite a defective antibody response, animals rendered tolerant to HGG as neonates retain tolerogen-specific T cells able to proliferate and secrete lymphokines. The pattern of IL-2 and IL-4 secretion by T cells isolated from tolerant animals could not be distinguished from the corresponding cells in control mice, suggesting that neonatal exposure to dHGG did not affect T cell reactivity or Th1/Th2 in vivo balance. Moreover, immunization of tolerant animals with haptenated HGG confirmed the presence of tolerogen-specific helper T cells in vivo. Functional T cell depletion by anti-CD3 mAbs during lactation failed to modify induction of B cell tolerance, suggesting that T cells are neither affected nor required to induce the selective tolerance status observed in this model. Based on the finding that antigen-presenting cell functions in secondary organs (spleen, peritoneal cavity) are a late acquisition during ontogeny and reach adult-like levels at weaning, we propose that most soluble proteins elude T cell recognition during lactation due to defective antigen presentation.