title: Murine CD4+ T cell subsets defined.
abstract: We have used two monoclonal anti-murine T cell autoantibodies (SM3G11 and SM6C10) and multi-color immunofluorescence staining to resolve splenic CD4+ cells into four populations. Two of these populations (Fr. I and Fr. III, 35% and 10% of CD4+ cells) show mutually exclusive expression of these determinants and exhibit distinct functions. Fr. III secretes IL-4, but not IL-2 when activated by Con A, and includes memory T cells responsible for secondary antibody formation. In contrast, Fr. I secretes IL-2 but not IL-4 in response to Con A, and does not contribute to the secondary antibody response. Furthermore, these two fractions exhibit differential accessory cell dependence. Whereas Fr. III responds with B cells (and also non-B cells) as accessory cells in Con A-induced activation, Fr. I requires non-B cells. However, we found that many CD4+ cells (Fr. II, 40% of CD4+ cells) express both determinants and are not distinguishable with regard to lymphokine secretion, accessory cell effect, and memory T cell activity. Curiously, the fraction expressing neither determinant (Fr. IV, 10% of CD4+ cells) is unresponsive to experimental conditions used here. We discuss the possible relationships between these T cell subsets and the implications of differential expression of these determinants.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015847:Interleukin-4