title: Induction of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper but not T-cytotoxic response is dependent on the source of antigen-presenting cell.
abstract: We studied the accessory cell requirements for triggering in vivo primed human major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T cells specific for minor histocompatibility antigens. We compared the antigen-presenting capacities of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs), both derived from the same donor, to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific cytotoxic and proliferative T cells. PBLs and EBV-LCLs were equally effective as antigen-presenting cells to trigger cytotoxic-T-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens, some of which were reactive with B cells only. In contrast, a clear difference was found between the capacities of the two antigen-presenting cell types to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper-cell responses. PBLs as antigen-presenting cells could induce T-helper-cell lines reactive against minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs, on EBV-LCLs, or on both cell types as stimulator cells. Unexpectedly, however, EBV-LCLs as antigen-presenting cells in all instances failed to induce T-helper-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs or on both PBLs and EBV-LCLs as stimulator cells and could only trigger T-helper cells directed against B-cell-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. Our findings indicate a dichotomy in the capacity of EBV-LCLs to present minor histocompatibility antigens in the induction versus the effector phse of the in vitro T-helper-cell response. Furthermore, the results show different in vitro accessory cell requirements for major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T-cell responses specific for human minor histocompatibility antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology and Blood Bank, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: van Els
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Rood
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goulmy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens