Regulation of the immune response against UV-induced skin cancers: specificity of helper cells and their susceptibility to UV-induced suppressor cells

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of T helper (Th) cells in the immune response to UV-induced tumors. Repeated exposure of mice to UV radiation results in the production of suppressor T lymphocytes that facilitate tumor growth by inhibiting host immunity. To investigate whether the suppressor T cells inhibit the response to UV tumors by blocking the generation of Th, we employed an indirect method for measuring helper cell activity. We found that Th were produced in normal mice after immunization with UV-induced tumors. These Th appeared to be specific for the immunizing tumors, in contrast to the UV-induced suppressor cells, which recognize UV-induced tumors as a group. The suppressor T cells responsible for inhibiting tumor rejection have no effect on tumor-specific helper cell activity in vitro. However, UV-induced suppressor T cells transferred into unirradiated mice seem to block the generation of helper cell activity after immunization with UV-produced tumors. These results suggest the UV-induced suppressor cells may prevent tumor rejection by blocking the generation of Th.