CD11 molecule defines two types of suppressor cells within the T8+ population.
It has been shown that T8+ cells are comprised of functionally heterogeneous subpopulations such as suppressor, cytotoxic, and NK cells. In this report, we attempted to delineate the functional heterogeneity of T8 cells defined by anti-CD11 antibody (anti-Mol). Although allospecific cytotoxic activity was restricted to the T8+Mol- subset, suppression of PWM IgG synthesis could be elicited in both the T8+Mol+ and the T8+Mol- subset of cells. However, the mechanism of suppression was different in these two subsets. Suppression by the T8+Mol- subset of cells required the interaction with the T4+2H4+ suppressor inducer cells, whereas the T8+Mol+ subset of cells could suppress in the absence of the suppressor inducer cells. Moreover, recombinant interleukin-2 alone could augment this suppression by the T8+Mol+ subset, but did not induce suppression by the T8+Mol- subset. In contrast, NK and LAK activity was exclusively found in the T8+Mol+ subset of cells but not in the T8+Mol- subset of cells. These results suggest that the CD11 molecule is useful for distinguishing novel subsets of T8 cells.
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000145:classification; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D007376:Interleukin-2