Abstract: The present invention comprises the method of selectively suppressing an immune response of a mammal to a particular alloantigen. The method includes several steps. One step is administering to a mammal an effective amount of UVB-radiation. It is demonstrated herein UVB radiation selectively suppresses the DTH response in mammals. Epidermal cell cultures, when subjected to UVB irradiation (280 nm to 320 nm) produce a specific immunosuppressive factor. The immunosuppressive factor is reactive with an antibody directed toward IL-10. Another step of the inventive method involves desensitizing a mammal to a particular alloantigen. It has been determined that a mammal will become tolerant to a particular alloantigen once the subject mammal has been irradiated with a pre-determined wavelength of UVR and thereafter sensitized with the particular alloantigen. This may analogously be accomplished using the immunosuppressive factor from in vitro epidermal cell cultures of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the method of selectively suppressing an immune response of a mammal to a particular alloantigen. The method includes several steps. One step is administering to a mammal an effective amount of UVB-radiation. Epidermal cell cultures, when subjected to UVA or UVB irradiation produce specific immunosuppressive factors. This UV-radiation is preferably UVA radiation (320 nm to 400 nm), or UVB-radiation (280 nm to 320 nm). It is demonstrated herein that UVA radiation results in in vitro cells producing a factor which selectively suppresses the CHS response in mammals, while UVB radiation selectively suppresses the DTH response in mammals. Another step of the inventive method involves desensitizing a mammal to a particular alloantigen. It has been determined that a mammal will become tolerant to a particular alloantigen once the subject mammal has been irradiated with a pre-determined wavelength of UVR and thereafter sensitized with the particular alloantigen.