Inoculation of P815 tumor cells (DBA/2 origin) into the anterior chamber of eyes of BALB/c mice normally produces anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) whereby delayed hypersensitivity (DH) responses to the minor H alloantigens of the tumor cells are suppressed. Based on our previous work showing an association of Langerhans cell infiltration into central cornea with the abrogation of ACAID, we have hypothesized that the induction of ACAID may depend upon the avoidance of local antigen processing within the anterior chamber. In this study, we have examined whether various putative antigen-presenting cells coinjected with allogeneic P815 cells into the anterior chamber could alter the course of the subsequent systemic alloimmune response. BALB/c recipients of intracameral P815 cells admixed with BALB/c spleen cells, B cells, or A20 B lymphoma cells developed ACAID. However, recipients of tumor cells admixed with cutaneous epidermal cells containing LC, and those receiving intracameral P815 cells admixed with purified LC developed vigorous DBA/2-specific delayed hypersensitivity responses. We conclude that avoidance of antigen processing and presentation by specialized APC such as dendritic LC within the anterior chamber is a condition for the induction of ACAID. Since under normal circumstances the anterior chamber is lined by tissues that are devoid of LC and contain very few class II MHC-expressing cells, this immunologically privileged site appears to be designed physiologically to avoid the unique form of local antigen presentation offered by dendritic LC--a condition that favors induction of selective immunologic incompetence.