title: Plasmodium falciparum-specific human T cell clones: evidence for helper and cytotoxic activities.
abstract: This report describes the isolation, and the phenotypic and functional characterization of Plasmodium falciparum-specific human T lymphocyte clones (TLC) obtained from 2 acutely infected and 4 clinically immune donors. Approximately one third of the TLC obtained from the acutely infected patients had the phenotype CD8+/CD4-. No such clones were obtained from the clinically immune donors. P. falciparum-specific, major histocompatibility complex-restricted CD8+ clones can lyse unrelated tumor cell targets in the presence of anti-CD3 antibodies, suggesting that these clones have cytotoxic potential. Conversely no killing was obtained with two CD4+ P. falciparum-specific TLC, even in the presence of anti-CD3 antibody, In addition the helper function of a CD4+ clone was demonstrated in a T/B cell cooperation system.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*