Influence of T cell specificity on the antibody response to the acetylcholine receptor.
Lymph node T cells were obtained from rats immunized with purified acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or isolated receptor subunits (alpha, beta, gamma, or delta). The immune T cells were then analyzed for the ability to respond to native AChR or AChR subunit challenge in an in vitro proliferation assay, as well as to perform as helper T cells (TH) in an in vitro anti-AChR antibody response. Results indicated a significant degree of subunit-to-subunit crossreactivity at the T cell level. Moreover, helper function could be generated by stimulation of T cells immune to any of the AChR subunits, although alpha-immune TH cells appeared to provide a quantifiably increased level of specific antibody production by AChR-immune B cells in vitro when compared to antibody produced by the same B cells in conjunction when beta-, gamma-, or delta-immune TH cells.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
D000939:Epitopes; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic