title: Efficient propagation and cloning of human T cells in the absence of antigen by means of OKT3, interleukin 2, and antigen-presenting cells.
abstract: The analysis of T lymphocytes infiltrating tissues afflicted by autoimmune diseases may provide major clues towards understanding the pathogenesis of such diseases. Currently the best approach to studying heterogeneous populations such as T lymphocytes involves long-term culture and cloning. In order to grow and clone T lymphocytes, regular restimulation with the specific antigen is essential, otherwise growth will stop and/or specificity may be lost. In autoimmune diseases the antigens involved in triggering the immunological reaction of T cells are usually unknown. Therefore an alternative way of stimulating T lymphocytes without loss of specificity is clearly needed. Here we describe the cloning and expansion of antigen-specific T cell clones from the blood of a healthy donor to sizeable numbers of cells (greater than 10(8)) by means of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody and recombinant IL-2. The results obtained showed that this approach can be used to clone and 'expand' T lymphocytes that retain antigen specificity over a prolonged period, in this case over 10 weeks. This technique has been used to clone and expand T lymphocytes infiltrating the affected tissues in a variety of autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, and is an efficient method of propagating T cells, by mimicking the antigenic stimulus.
authors.affiliation: Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Londei
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grubeck-Loebenstein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Berardinis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greenall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feldmann
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007376:Interleukin-2