Anti-CD27 monoclonal antibodies identify two functionally distinct subpopulations within the CD4+ T cell subset.
Anti-CD27 monoclonal antibodies react with a cell surface molecule expressed on medullary thymocytes and a large subpopulation (75%) of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. This study was undertaken to analyze the functional capacities of CD27+ and CD27- subpopulations within the CD4+ subset. In addition, we investigated whether CD27 subpopulations belong to two mutually exclusive T cell sublineages. Proliferation upon lectin stimulation by either phytohemagglutinin or pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was found to be consistently higher in CD4+CD27+ cells compared to CD4+CD27- cells. In contrast, CD27+ and CD27- cells did not differ in anti-CD3, soluble antigen or interleukin (IL)2-induced proliferation. In PWM-driven B cell differentiation, CD4+CD27+ cells provided helper activity on IgM production, while CD4+CD27- cells did not. The differences observed between CD4+CD27+ and CD4+CD27- cells in both proliferation and T helper activity on IgM production can, at least in part, be explained by the inadequate production of IL2 by CD27- cells upon lectin stimulation. In contrast, CD27+ and CD27- subpopulations did not differ in the production of interferon-gamma. CD27- cells could be induced to express the CD27 antigen through stimulation of these cells with immobilized anti-CD3 antibodies. After 3 days of culture, approximately 50% of the cells had CD27 membrane expression, whereas after 6 days 80% of the cells express the antigen. We conclude that anti-CD27 antibodies identify two functionally distinct T cell populations within the CD4+ subset. These subpopulations apparently do not belong to two separate T cell sublineages, but may reflect differences in the activation state of CD27+ vs. CD27- peripheral blood T lymphocytes.
Van Lier
R A
RA
Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Amsterdam.
Pool
M O
MO
Kabel
P
P
Mous
S
S
Terpstra
F
F
De Rie
M A
MA
Melief
C J
CJ
Miedema
F
F
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D007371:Interferon-gamma