Alternative titles; symbols
Cytogenetic location: 6p21.3 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38): 6:30,500,001-36,600,000
Immune suppression may be merely the 'other side of the coin' from immune response. Sasazuki et al. (1980) proposed linkage between HLA and a dominant gene at a locus Is (immune suppression), which suppresses in vitro lymphoproliferative response to streptococcal cell wall antigen. A lod score of +3.2 was observed in 7 families for linkage of the postulated locus with HLA. Although no recombinants were observed, pleiotropism was considered unlikely because no significant association between low responders and HLA specificities was found in the random population. The gene presumably controls the generation of suppressor T cells. The existence of such cells was demonstrated in man by McMichael and Sasazuki (1977), using the mixed lymphocyte response (MLR) system; Engleman et al. (1978) demonstrated a soluble factor that can replace the suppressor T cell. Nishimura and Sasazuki (1983) further demonstrated that the gene controls the generation of the antigen-specific suppressor T cell.
Engleman, E. G., McMichael, A. J., McDevitt, H. O. Suppression of the mixed lymphocyte reaction in man by a soluble T-cell factor: specificity of the factor for both responder and stimulator. J. Exp. Med. 147: 1037-1043, 1978. [PubMed: 148486] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.147.4.1037]
McMichael, A. J., Sasazuki, T. A suppressor T cell in the human mixed lymphocyte reaction. J. Exp. Med. 146: 368-380, 1977. [PubMed: 68998] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.146.2.368]
Nishimura, Y., Sasazuki, T. Suppressor T cells control the HLA-linked low responsiveness to streptococcal antigen in man. Nature 302: 67-69, 1983. [PubMed: 6219293] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1038/302067a0]
Sasazuki, T., Kaneoka, H., Nishimura, Y., Kaneoka, R., Hayama, M., Ohkuni, H. An HLA-linked immune suppression gene in man. J. Exp. Med. 152: 297s-313s, 1980. [PubMed: 6447747]