An anti-human T-lymphocyte antiserum. Further characterization of the specificity for T-cell subpopulations and a comparison of methods for identification of T-lymphocytes in tissue sections

Abstract

An anti-human T-lymphocyte antiserum has been further studied for specificity for T-cell subpopulations and application in tissue sections. Using a complement-dependent microcytotoxicity assay about 60% of normal peripheral blood T-cells were found to be sensitive to lysis, while 40% were resistant. When the T-cell suspensions were depleted of T G-cells using EA (Ripley) rosette sedimentation, the remaining cells demonstrated an increased percentage of lysis-sensitive cells, while the T-cells enriched in EA-RFC demonstrated a decreased percentage of cells sensitive to lysis, indicating that the anti-serum was primarily directed against the non T G-cells, i.e. probably the T M helper cell population. This was further supported by functional studies. In order to quantitate T-cells, cytocentrifuge preparations were made from cell suspensions with known T-cell percentages and the T-cells determined with both the immune adherence technique using AET-treated sheep erythrocytes, as well as the indirect immunofluorescence technique using anti-T antiserum. The results of the two methods correlated well, suggesting that both methods can be used to determine T-cells in situ in infiltrate-like clusters of cells.