title: Morphologic and functional characterization of human peripheral blood T cells expressing the T cell receptor gamma/delta.
abstract: The morphologic and functional characteristics of cells freshly isolated from human peripheral blood and bearing a T cell receptor (TcR) gamma/delta were analyzed. Cell preparations highly enriched for TcR gamma/delta+ cells were obtained by treatment of E rosette-forming lymphocytes with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and complement. These preparations consisted of 64-82% TcR gamma/delta+ lymphocytes, as indicated by the sum of cells reacting with the BB3 and A13 mAb which define two distinct, nonoverlapping, TcR gamma/delta+ cell subsets in the peripheral blood. TcR gamma/delta cells were able to form conjugates with the natural killer-sensitive K-562 and with the natural killer-resistant HL-60-R tumor cell lines. The cytochemical localization of lysosomal acid hydrolases showed that 95%-98% of the cells in the TcR gamma/delta+ preparations had the morphologic features of granular lymphocytes. Moreover, electron microscopy analyses showed that TcR gamma/delta+ cells had electron-dense granules dispersed in the cytoplasm and a variety of smooth vesicles, a morphology identical to that of other CD3- or CD3+ granular lymphocyte subsets. Freshly isolated TcR gamma/delta+ cells were unable to lyse K-562 and natural killer-resistant targets, such as HL-60-R and P815. However, low levels of target cell lysis were observed upon triggering of the effectors by anti-CD3 TcR mAb or by lectin. After short-term culture with interleukin 2, TcR gamma/delta+ cells acquired a strong cytolytic activity against K-562 and HL-60-R target cells in the absence of triggering stimuli, and also displayed high levels of cytolytic activity against P815 in the presence of anti-CD3/TcR mAb.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Università di Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zarcone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viale
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cerruti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Millo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Grossi
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta