Characterization of the murine antigenic determinant, designated L3T4a, recognized by monoclonal antibody GK1.5: expression of L3T4a by functional T cell clones appears to correlate primarily with class II MHC antigen-reactivity.
We describe here the properties of mAb GK1.5, which recognizes a cell surface molecule designated L3T4; the determinant on L3T4 recognized by mAb GK1.5 is designated L3T4a. We present evidence here that: i) the expression of L3T4a by murine T cell clones correlates primarily with class II MHC antigen-reactivity; ii) mAb GK1.5 blocks all class II MHC antigen-specific functions (cytolysis, proliferation, release of lymphokines) by murine class II MHC antigen-reactive T cell clones, although there appears to be clonal heterogeneity in the degree to which these functions are blocked by mAb GK1.5; iii) mAb GK1.5 blocks class II MHC antigen-specific release of IL-2 from cloned T cell hybridomas by blocking class II MHC antigen-specific binding; and iv) L3T4 is very similar to the human Leu3/T4 antigen. The properties of mAb GK1.5 (complement fixation, reactivity with all mouse strains tested, profound blocking of all class II MHC antigen-specific functions by murine T cells, usefulness for FACS analyses, and usefulness for immuno-precipitation/SDS-PAGE analyses) make it suitable for investigating both the role of class II MHC antigen-reactive T cells in various immunological phenomena and the mechanistic basis, at the molecular level, of class II MHC antigen-reactivity by murine T cells.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000276:immunology*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000939:Epitopes; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens