The T suppressor cell alloantigen Tsud maps near immunoglobulin allotype genes and may be an heavy chain constant-region marker on a T cell receptor

The mouse T cell alloantigen, Tsud, is expressed on a minority of mature, Lyt-2+ cells, and its expression is controlled by a gene linked to the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene cluster, Igh. Tsud can be assayed by immunofluorescence staining with an antiserum made in BALB/c mice against C.AL-20 concanavalin A blasts. This antiserum can also be used to induced T suppressor cells in mice expressing Tsu(d). Both of these assays were used to type several panels of recombinant inbred strains and Igh recombinant strains to accurately map the Tsu(d) locus. The Tsu(d) gene is located very near the heavy chain constant-region genes, Igh-C, on the side toward the prealbumin gene, Pre-1. Tsu(d) is not among the heavy chain variable-region genes, Igh-V, and thus is not a variable-region framework allotype, subgroup determinant, or idiotype. The map position suggest that the Tsu(d) antigen is a constant region allotypic determinant on the as yet uncharacterized T cell receptor.