A human alloreactive inducer T cell clone that selectively activates antigen-specific suppressor T cells

J Immunol. 1984 Jul;133(1):133-6.

Abstract

We showed previously that T cells with the phenotype Leu-3+,8+ are required for the induction of antigen-specific Leu-2+ suppressor cells. Furthermore, when mixed lymphocyte reactions are carried out in the presence of 1 microgram/ml cyclosporin A (CsA), such cultures lead preferentially to the activation of alloantigen-specific suppressor-inducer Leu-3+,8+ cells. In an attempt to generate a clone of T cells with such specific suppressor-inducer properties, we activated Leu-3+,8+ T cells with allogeneic (HLA-DR4+) lymphocytes in the presence of CsA. Clone SP-21, derived by propagating such activated T cells with conditioned medium containing IL 2, is a noncytotoxic, nonsuppressor clone that specifically proliferates to allogeneic cells bearing HLA-DR4 antigen. When cultured with fresh autologous Leu-2+ cells in the absence of HLA-DR4+ cells, clone SP-21 selectively activates Leu-2+ suppressor cells, which inhibit the response of fresh Leu-3+ cells to DR4+ stimulator cells. On the other hand, clone SP-21 fails to induce cytolytic T cells or to help B cell differentiation. These results demonstrate that a T cell clone with a remarkably narrow functional repertoire nonetheless contains and transmits all of the signals necessary for the activation of antigen-specific suppressor cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Clone Cells / immunology
  • Epitopes*
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation*
  • Lymphocyte Cooperation
  • Phenotype
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • HLA Antigens