Clonal expansion of T cells following in vitro stimulation with autologous melanoma cells and interleukin-2 studied by molecular analysis of a T cell receptor.
Twelve autologous mixed peripheral blood (PBL) tumor cell interactions (MLTC) followed by in vitro expansion of the stimulated T cells in recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) were analyzed for the potential emergence of oligoclonal or monoclonal T cell populations in the PBL by Southern blot analysis of the T cell receptor (TCR) beta gene. The emergence of oligoclonal or monoclonal TCR beta gene rearranged populations was seen in 5 of the 12 cases. In 2 of these 5 cases only one dominantly rearranged band was observed. The emergence of oligoclonal or monoclonal T cell populations following stimulation with autologous melanoma cells was associated with predominant CD4 phenotype of the stimulated PBL exhibiting a varied degree of cytotoxicity toward the respective autologous melanoma cells. The evidence of emergence of monoclonal or oligoclonal T cell populations following stimulation with autologous tumor cells strongly supports the existence of T cell-mediated responses against autologous melanomas. Furthermore, cellular and molecular analyses of T cell responses in autologous mixed lymphocyte tumor cell interactions will provide valuable information on the nature of the T cell responses and on the pattern of gene segment usages by the T cells in response to the autologous tumor cells.
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington.
M
M
Sivanandham
N G
NG
Chakraborty
G R
GR
Robbins
B
B
Mukherji
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta