In vitro studies of the rabbit immune system. IX. Extended culture of rabbit cytotoxic cells and the generation of TCGF-dependent T lymphocyte lines.
Rabbit T lymphocytes with cytotoxic activity for mouse target cells can be maintained in culture for several weeks by periodically restimulating with fresh mouse cells or by culturing with a source of TCGF. The former procedure greatly enriches the cultured cells for cytotoxic activity but has the disadvantage of introducing cellular debris. Cell growth and cytotoxic activity waned after 4-6 weeks using either procedure. However, T lymphocyte lines (TLL) could be isolated from limiting dilution cultures containing mitomycin C-treated mouse 'feeder' cells and a source of TCGF. These cells grew out with a frequency of one in 50-150 and approximately 15% of these growing cells had cytotoxic activity. Some cytotoxic cells lost their lytic activity after 4-5 months but others have persisted for over 7 months. Some TLL have now been growing for over 20 months.
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2