Anergized T cell clones retain their cytolytic ability.
CD4+ T cells have been described to have both helper and lytic function. The helper function of Th1 cells in particular can be inactivated by inducing the T cell into a state of nonresponsiveness in which the T cell is no longer capable of producing IL-2 or proliferating in an autocrine way to a conventional antigenic stimulus. To determine whether the lytic ability of Th1 cells can also be rendered nonfunctional upon anergy induction, we induced Th1 clones into a nonresponsive state and tested their ability to lyse target cells in an Ag-specific and MHC class II-restricted manner. We show that cells newly induced into an anergic state were able to lyse target cells nonspecifically. This effect was short-lived and after resting in culture media, the cells regained their ability to lyse target cells in an Ag/MHC-specific manner, and this ability was comparable to normal resting T cells. In contrast, the helper function of these cells remained nonresponsive, and the cells were unable to proliferate or to secrete IL-2 in response to the same antigenic stimulus used for lysis. Therefore, the lytic pathway appears to be regulated separately from the proliferative/lymphokine pathway(s) and is not affected long-term by an anergic stimulus.
Go
C
C
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, IL 60637.
Lancki
D W
DW
Fitch
F W
FW
Miller
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2