Relationship between surface H-2 concentration, size of different target cells, and lysis by cytotoxic T cells.
We have examined the parameters of target cell cross-sectional area and surface H-2 concentration in relation to their susceptibility to cytotoxic T-cell-mediated lysis, using a series of commonly used murine target cells of the H-2k haplotype. We used a sensitive immunoferritin labeling technique and electron microscopy to estimate relative cell diameter and H-2 concentration combined with standard 51Cr-release assays for cytotoxicity. We found that susceptibility to cytotoxic T-cell lysis was not related consistently to either factor alone, but was related to a combination of the two, such that above a certain value for the product of the two factors, no further increase in cytotoxic T-cell efficiency was seen. The information presented here should be of value to workers seeking to select a target cell type that will maximize the sensitivity of 51Cr-release-based assays for the detection of cytotoxic T cells.
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D003208:Concanavalin A