Education of mouse lymphocytes against human lymphoblastoid cell lines: specific recognition of determinants independent of serologically defined HLA allotypes and Epstein-Barr virus-coded antigens.

Abstract

AbstractIn this report, a model of xenogeneic education is described, whereby cytotoxic mouse spleen cells are generated against human target cell antigens. To generate a significant response, a primary in vivo immunization followed by an in vitro boosting 4 to 8 weeks later is required.Lysis is totally abrogated after treatment of the effector cells by anti‐Thy‐1.2 antiserum plus complement confirming the T origin of these effectors. Such cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) do not discriminate between two lymphoblastoid cell lines carrying different HLA‐A and HLA‐B specificities, either by direct assay or by competition assay with unlabeled target cells. Moreover, Daudi cells which lack the serologically defined (SD) HLA antigens, are susceptible to CTL specifically raised against Daudi. However, CTL raised against another B line do not lyse Daudi, and, reciprocally, anti‐Daudi CTL do not lyse other B lines thus suggesting a polymorphic distribution of xenogeneic determinants on human lymphoid lines. A third specificity is revealed when mouse spleen cells are educated against human T lines. The CTL generated under these conditions lyse not only the line used for sensitization but the three other human T lines of the panel. On the other hand, they affect none of the B cell lines (including Daudi) nor phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A‐induced T blasts. In conclusion, the mouse T cell repertoire is capable of recognizing a polymorphic system of antigens expressed on human lymphoblastoid cell lines that is not related to the expression of HLA‐SD antigens nor to that of the Epstein‐Barr virus genome.