title: CD69-mediated pathway of lymphocyte activation: anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies trigger the cytolytic activity of different lymphoid effector cells with the exception of cytolytic T lymphocytes expressing T cell receptor alpha/beta.
abstract: The effect of anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on the induction of the cytolytic activity in different types of lymphoid effector cells has been investigated. Three anti-CD69 mAbs, including the reference mAb MLR3 and two new mAbs (c227 and 31C4), have been used. All cloned CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells belonging to different subsets (as defined by the surface expression of GL183 and/or EB6 antigens) were efficiently triggered by anti-CD69 mAbs and lysed P815 mastocytoma cells in a redirected killing assay. Triggering of the cytolytic activity could also be induced in CD3-CD16- NK clones, which fail to respond to other stimuli (including anti-CD16, anti-CD2 mAbs, or phytohemagglutinin). A similar triggering effect was detected in T cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta+ clones belonging to different subsets. On the other hand, anti-CD69 mAbs could not induce triggering of the cytolytic activity in TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic clones. Since all thymocytes are known to express CD69 antigen after cell activation, we analyzed a series of phenotypically different cytolytic thymocyte populations and clones for their responsiveness to anti-CD69 mAb in a redirected killing assay. Again, anti-CD69 mAb triggered TCR gamma/delta+ but not TCR alpha/beta+ thymocytes. Anti-CD69 mAb efficiently triggered the cytolytic activity of "early" thymocytes lines or clones (CD3-4-8-7+), which lack all other known pathways of cell activation. Thus, it appears that CD69 molecules may initiate a pathway of activation of cytolytic functions common to a number of activated effector lymphocytes with the remarkable exception of TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic cells.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Istologia ed Embriologia Generale, Università di Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pende
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Orengo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pella
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Augugliaro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bottino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D000099192:CD69 Antigens