Reactivity of Ly-2+ T cells against 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified syngeneic stimulator cells: specificity, frequency of interleukin 2-producing Ly-2+ helper T cells and clonal segregation from Ly-2+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
The in vitro reactivity of purified murine Ly-2+ and L3T4+ T cells towards 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified syngeneic stimulator cells was analyzed. Both T cell subpopulations autonomously proliferated and produced interleukin 2. In either the Ly-2+ or L3T4+ T cell subset the frequencies of TNP-specific interleukin 2 (IL 2)-producing T lymphocyte precursors (IL 2 TL-p) were equally high (f = 1/400-1/1000). Clonally developing IL 2 TL of either T cell subset showed an exquisite antigen (TNP) specificity as shown by the split culture approach. TNP-specific Ly-2+ IL-2 TL used class I MHC (H-2Kk) gene products as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction elements, while L3T4+ IL 2 TL proved to be class II MHC (H-2I-AkI-Ek) restricted. Clonal segregation analyses revealed that the majority of clonally developing TNP-reactive Ly-2+ TL segregated into either IL 2 TL-p or cytotoxic T lymphocyte presursors, i.e. both functions appear to be mutually exclusive. Less than 10% of the responding Ly-2+ T cells seemed to be bifunctional. These findings provide compelling evidence for the L3T4+ T cell-independent, autonomous reactivity of Ly-2+ T cells in MHC-restricted antigen-specific responses and suggest T-T cell interactions within the functional heterogenous Ly-2+ T cell population.
Schmitt
J
J
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm.
Wagner
H
H
Heeg
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000032:analysis; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA / Q000276:immunology; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes