Hoffmann, G.W., "On Network Theory and H-2 Restriction", in Contemporary Topics in Immunobiology, (N. Warner, Ed.), vol. 11, 185-226 (1980).

 

This is a review article that first summarizes data on the cross-linking of receptors as a mechanism of stimulation for B cells, T cells and non-specific accessory cells such as mast cells. The data is used to justify the postulate in the symmetrical network theory of symmetrical interactions between V regions. Then the question is addressed as to what the fundamental difference is between helper T cells and suppressor T cells. The markers that distinguished these in the mouse were known as Ly-1 and Ly-2 respectively; later renamed CD5 and CD8. (A more reliable marker for helper T cells was later found to be CD4.) The CD designations are used across species. The case is made that helper cells (CD4) are cells with low idiotypic network connectance, and suppressor T cells (CD8) are high network connectance cells. This fits with the idea that the immune state is a state of low idiotypic connectance, while the suppressed state is a state with high idiotypic connectance.

 

The MHC in the mouse is called H-2, and most of the MHC restriction experiments that had been done at that time were in the mouse, hence the term H-2 restriction. To my knowledge, this is the first paper to explain MHC restriction in terms of positive selection of T cells by MHC class I and MHC class II molecules.

 

This paper contains a nasty misprint. A section of a sentence was omitted at a crucial point, which reversed the meaning. It concerned a prediction of the theory, namely that low connectance cells should tend to be helpers, and high connectance cells should tend to be suppressors. As printed, the sense is the opposite of this.