Surface markers of T cells causing lethal graft-vs-host disease to class I vs class II H-2 differences.
Information was sought on the phenotype of lymphoid cells causing lethal graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) in irradiated mice expressing whole or partial H-2 differences. In all strain combinations tested, pretreating donor lymph node (LN) cells with anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies (MAb) plus complement (C) abolished mortality. With GVHD directed to class I H-2 differences, pretreating LN cells with anti-Lyt-2 MAb prevented mortality, whereas MAb specific for Ly-1 or L3T4 cell surface determinants caused severe mortality. These data imply that lethal GVHD directed to class I H-2 differences is mediated by L3T4-, Lyt-2+ cells; this subset of T cells was shown previously to control GVHD directed to multiple minor histocompatibility antigens, i.e., antigens seen in the context of self-class I molecules. With whole H-2 differences, GVHD appeared to be controlled largely but not exclusively by L3T4+, Lyt-2-T cells. This T cell subset was also the predominant cause of GVHD directed to class II differences. With class II incompatibilities, depleting donor cells of L3T4+ T cells, either by pretreatment with anti-L3T4 MAb + C or by fluorescence activated cell sorter selection, greatly reduced but did not completely abolish GVHD. These data might imply that L3T4-, Lyt-2+ cells have some capacity to elicit anti-class II GVHD. A more likely possibility, however, is that the residual GVHD to class II differences observed with Lyt-2+-enriched cells reflected minor contamination with L3T4+ cells.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010641:Phenotype; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C024755:H-2K(K) antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II