Genetically Restricted Research Articles

Induction of Multifunctional Broadly Reactive T Cell Responses by a Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein Recombinant Chimera.

Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread species of Plasmodium, causing up to 50% of the malaria cases occurring outside sub-Saharan Africa. An effective vaccine is essential for successful control and potential eradication. A well-characterized vaccine candidate is the circumsporozoite protein (CSP). Preclinical and clinical trials have shown that both antibodies and cellular immune responses have been correlated with protection induced by immunization with CSP. On the basis of our reported approach of developing chimeric Plasmodium yoelii proteins to enhance protective efficacy, we designed PvRMC-CSP, a recombinant chimeric protein based on the P. vivax CSP (PvCSP). In this engineered protein, regions of the PvCSP predicted to contain human T cell epitopes were genetically fused to an immunodominant B cell epitope derived from the N-terminal region I and to repeat sequences representing the two types of PvCSP repeats. The chimeric protein was expressed in soluble form with high yield. As the immune response to PvCSP has been reported to be genetically restricted in the murine model, we tested the immunogenicity of PvRMC-CSP in groups of six inbred strains of mice. PvRMC-CSP was able to induce robust antibody responses in all the mouse strains tested. Synthetic peptides representing the allelic forms of the P. vivax CSP were also recognized to a similar extent regardless of the mouse strain. Furthermore, the immunization regimen induced high frequencies of multifunctional CD4(+) and CD8(+) PvRMC-CSP-specific T cells. The depth and breadth of the immune responses elicited suggest that immunization with PvRMC-CSP can circumvent the genetic restriction of the immune response to P. vivax CSP. Interestingly, PvRMC-CSP was also recognized by naturally acquired antibodies from individuals living in areas where malaria is endemic. These features make PvRMC-CSP a promising vaccine candidate for further development.

The Alternative Complement Pathway Seems to be a UVA Sensor that Leads to Systemic Immunosuppression

UV wavebands in sunlight are immunomodulatory. About half the amount of UVA within a minimum erythemal dose of sunlight is systemically immunosuppressive, whereas higher doses protect from UVB immunosuppression in mice. We have earlier shown that these responses to UVA are genetically restricted, as they occur in C57BL/6 but not in Balb/c mice. We used gene set enrichment analysis of microarray data and real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR confirmation to determine the molecular mechanisms associated with UVA immunomodulation. We found upregulation of mRNA for the alternative complement pathway. The core-enriched genes complement component 3, properdin, and complement factor B were all activated by the immunosuppressive dose of UVA only in UVA-responsive C57BL/6 but not in unresponsive BALB/c mice. This therefore matched the genetic restriction and dose responsiveness of UVA immunosuppression. The immune-protective higher UVA dose prevented UVB from downregulating chemokine receptor 7 and IL-12B, and decreased IL-10, supporting the earlier identification of IL-12 and IL-10 in high-dose UVA protection from UVB immunosuppression. Our study has identified activation of the alternative complement pathway as a trigger of UVA-induced systemic immunosuppression and suggests that this pathway is likely to be an important sensor of UVA-induced damage to the skin.

Inhibitory ADAMTS13 Monoclonal Autoantibodies Cloned from TTP Patients Show Restricted Gene Usage, Inhibit Murine ADAMTS13, and Are Blocked by Rabbit Anti-Idiotypic Antibodies.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a potentially fatal disorder often associated with autoantibody inhibition of ADAMTS13, a VWF-cleaving protease. Autoantibodies decrease ADAMTS13 activity resulting in accumulation of “unusually” large VWF multimers that mediate platelet thrombosis. To better understand the role autoantibodies play in disease pathogenesis, as well as to develop more specific methods for diagnosis and therapy, it is necessary to characterize pathogenic antibodies on a molecular level, something not possible through analysis of polyclonal patient antisera. The ability to clone large repertoires of patient monoclonal autoantibodies (mAbs) using phage display offers a unique opportunity to address this issue. Three patient (Pt) antibody phage display libraries were created from either splenocytes (Pt1) or peripheral blood lymphocytes (Pt2, Pt3) of individuals with acquired TTP. ADAMTS13-specific mAbs were isolated by panning against recombinant ADAMTS13. Unique clones were identified by DNA sequencing, and their ability to interact with ADAMTS13 was characterized. After antigen selection of Pt1 library, 56 mAbs were randomly-selected from panning rounds 2 through 4 and 68% were found to comprise heavy chains encoded by VH1-69 paired with a VL3 family lambda light chain (3h or 3m). The remaining mAbs comprised heavy chains from the VH1, 3, or 4 families usually paired with kappa light chains. For Pt2 and Pt3 libraries, there was an identical pattern of genetic restriction in immune response to ADAMTS13, i.e. 16 of 24 mAbs (Pt2) and 27 of 27 mAbs (Pt3) were encoded by VH1-69 heavy chains and VL3 family lambda light chains. Though nearly all mAbs were unique, common CDR3 regions among some of the mAbs provided evidence of B-cell clonal expansion and somatic mutation. Though all mAbs bound to ADAMTS13 irrespective of genetic origin, mAbs comprising a VH1-69 heavy chain paired with a VL3 light chain inhibited ADAMTS13 using the FRET-VW73 assay while mAbs comprising a VH1-69 paired with a kappa light chain or comprising non-VH1-69 heavy chains did not inhibit ADAMTS13, with only two exceptions. MAb binding to ADAMTS13 was blocked by preincubation with normal human or murine plasma, but much less so by plasma from TTP patients or ADAMTS13 knockout mice suggesting crossreactivity with mouse ADAMTS13. Certain human mAbs inhibited cleavage of FRET-VWF73 by mouse ADAMTS13 and also inhibited ADAMTS13 in vivo after injection into the internal jugular vein of mice. Rabbit anti-idiotypic antibodies raised against mAb 416, a prototypical VH1-69-encoded mAb, blocked 416's ability to inhibit human ADAMTS13. Taken together, the cloning and analyses of a large cohort of ADAMTS13 inhibitory autoantibodies derived from 3 unrelated individuals with acquired TTP revealed a genetically restricted immune response. This feature, if common among TTP patients, offers a potential therapeutic target for treatment of TTP, e.g. selective deletion of B-cells utilizing the VH1-69 heavy chain gene. Furthermore, crossreactivity of some human mAbs with murine ADAMTS13 provides a mouse model of acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency that may prove useful for determining the role of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of TTP, particularly in the context of additional factors (e.g. environmental) that may be required to trigger the disease. Finally, anti-idiotypic mAbs, currently being cloned from rabbit phage display libraries, may help identify pathogenic antibodies in patient plasma and/or lead to novel therapeutic approaches.

Immunogenicity of well-characterized synthetic Plasmodium falciparum multiple antigen peptide conjugates.

Given the emerging difficulties with malaria drug resistance and vector control, as well as the persistent lack of an effective vaccine, new malaria vaccine development strategies are needed. We used a novel methodology to synthesize and fully characterize multiple antigen peptide (MAP) conjugates containing protective epitopes from Plasmodium falciparum and evaluated their immunogenicity in four different strains of mice. A di-epitope MAP (T3-T1) containing two T-cell epitopes of liver stage antigen-1 (LSA-1), a di-epitope MAP containing T-cell epitopes from LSA-1 and from merozoite surface protein-1, and a tri-epitope MAP (T3-CS-T1) containing T3-T1 and a potent B-cell epitope from the circumsporozoite protein central repeat region were tested in this study. Mice of all four strains produced peptide-specific antibodies; however, the magnitude of the humoral response indicated strong genetic restriction between the different strains of mice. Anti-MAP antibodies recognized stage-specific proteins on the malaria parasites in an immunofluorescence assay. In addition, serum from hybrid BALB/cJ x A/J CAF1 mice that had been immunized with the tri-epitope MAP T3-CS-T1 successfully inhibited the malaria sporozoite invasion of hepatoma cells in vitro. Spleen cells from immunized mice also showed a genetically restricted cellular immune response when stimulated with the immunogen in vitro. This study indicates that well-characterized MAPs combining solid-phase synthesis and conjugation chemistries are potent immunogens and that this approach can be utilized for the development of subunit vaccines.

Simultaneous induction of multiple antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in nonhuman primates by immunization with a mixture of four Plasmodium falciparum DNA plasmids.

CD8(+) T cells have been implicated as critical effector cells in protective immunity against malaria parasites developing within hepatocytes. A vaccine that protects against malaria by inducing CD8(+) T cells will probably have to include multiple epitopes on the same protein or different proteins, because of parasite polymorphism and genetic restriction of T-cell responses. To determine if CD8(+) T-cell responses against multiple P. falciparum proteins can be induced in primates by immunization with plasmid DNA, rhesus monkeys were immunized intramuscularly with a mixture of DNA plasmids encoding four P. falciparum proteins or with individual plasmids. All six monkeys immunized with PfCSP DNA, seven of nine immunized with PfSSP2 DNA, and five of six immunized with PfExp-1 or PfLSA-1 DNA had detectable antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) after in vitro restimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CTL activity was genetically restricted and dependent on CD8(+) T cells. By providing the first evidence for primates that immunization with a mixture of DNA plasmids induces CD8(+) T-cell responses against all the components of the mixture, these studies provide the foundation for multigene immunization of humans.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 peptides in chimeric and multivalent constructs with promiscuous T-cell epitopes enhance immunogenicity and overcome genetic restriction

Conventional strategies of viral peptide immunizations often elicit low-affinity antibody responses and have limited ability to elicit immune responses in outbred animals of diverse major histocompatibility (MHC) haplotypes. This genetically restricted T-cell-stimulatory activity of peptides is a serious obstacle to vaccine design. However, the use of promiscuous T-cell epitopes may circumvent this problem. Promiscuous T-cell epitopes from tetanus toxin (amino acids [aa] 580 to 599) and the measles virus F protein (aa 288 to 302) that bind to several isotypic and allotypic forms of human MHC class II molecules have been identified and have been used in highly immunogenic constructs to overcome haplotype-restricted immune responses. Chimeric and beta-template peptide constructs incorporating known human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) B- and T-cell epitopes from the surface envelope protein gp46 (SP2 [aa 86 to 107] and SP4a [aa 190 to 209]) and promiscuous T-cell peptides were synthesized, and their immunogenicities were evaluated in both rabbits and mouse strains of divergent haplotypes (C3H/HeJ [H-2k], C57BL/6 [H-2b], and BALB/c [H-2d]). In addition, peptide preparations were structurally characterized by analytical high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and circular dichroism. In contrast to their linear forms, the chimeric constructs of both the SP2 and SP4a epitopes displayed alpha-helical secondary structures. Immunogenicity of the peptide constructs was evaluated by direct and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), as well as by radioimmunoprecipitation, syncytium inhibition, and antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation assays. Immunization with the SP4a peptide without conjugation to a carrier protein produced antibodies specific for SP4a in two mouse strains (C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6). However, BALB/c mice failed to respond to the peptide, indicating that the T-cell epitope of the SP4a sequence is MHC restricted. In contrast, the chimeric constructs MVF-SP2 and SP4a-measles virus F protein were highly immunogenic, producing elevated ELISA titers after only two immunizations. Elicited antibodies recognized native forms of gp46 in ELISAs and radioimmunoprecipitation assays, as well as inhibited HTLV-1-mediated syncytium formation. In addition, chimeric constructs were effective at induction of lymphocyte proliferation to the T-cell epitope, SP4a, in each strain of immunized mice. Our data demonstrate that the antibody response to retroviral peptides is enhanced by promiscuous peptide constructs, in part because of the ability of such constructs to promote appropriate secondary structural forms of viral epitopes. In addition, these constructs promote virus-specific helper T-cell responses, thereby overcoming genetically restricted immune responses to the synthetic peptides.

T cell receptor alpha-chain defines the antigen specificity of antigen-specific suppressor factor but does not impart genetic restriction.

Previous studies utilizing NP (4-hydroxy, 3-nitrophenyl acetyl hapten)-specific, T suppressor hybridomas have indicated that expression of TCR-alpha, but not TCR-beta, mRNA is required for expression of Ag-specific suppressor factor bioactivity. Suppressor-effector factor has been shown to be Ag specific and I-J restricted. Although the expression of TCR-alpha mRNA was necessary for suppressor activity, the role of TCR-alpha, as it pertained to the functional properties of T cell suppressor factor (TsF), was not established. To determine which properties of TsF could be accounted for by TCR-alpha expression, TCR-alpha cDNA, derived from NP-specific, suppressor T cell (Ts) hybridomas, was transfected into recipient Ts hybridomas of a second Ag specificity. The resulting heterologous transfectants displayed NP-specific, genetically restricted TsF activity. The Ag specificity corresponded to that of the TCR-alpha donor; however, the genetic restriction was influenced by the recipient cell, implying that TCR-alpha did not control genetic restriction of the TsF. Examination of TCR-beta expression in one of the MHC-restricted transfectants indicated that the genetic restriction of TsF could not be accounted for by TCR-beta gene products. The data support the conclusion that TCR-alpha expression is not only obligate for TsF bioactivity, but that the Ag specificity of the TCR-alpha dictates the Ag specificity of the resulting suppressor factor.

Genetic selection for crescent formation yields mouse strain with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and small vessel vasculitis.

We have established a recombinant inbred strain of mouse named spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis-forming mouse/Kinjoh or SCG/Kj. Mice of this strain spontaneously develop rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. This strain of mice was derived from (BXSB/Mp x MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr)F1 hybrid mice by brother x sister mating coupled with repeated histopathologic selection for breeding of mice whose parents had the highest frequency of crescent formation in the kidneys. In this strain of mice, nephritis appears earlier and is more rapidly progressive than in any other murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Histopathologically, the characteristic renal lesions in the mice of this strain express a most dramatic form of crescentic glomerulonephritis. The lesions in the kidneys show only slight fine granular immune deposits along the glomerular basement membrane associated with remarkable extraglomerular proliferation and hemorrhage in Bowman's space. Although selection was not based on vasculitis, mice of this strain also exhibit a high incidence of necrotizing vasculitis. These vascular lesions involve primarily small arteries and arterioles and many organs and tissues but spare the kidneys. Thus this form of vasculitis has been found to be correlated with the crescentic form of glomerulonephritis but not with lymphoid hyperplasia of the spleen. We conclude that, in this strain of mouse, the rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is genetically restricted and that this genetic restriction is firmly linked to that responsible for the vasculitis.

Regulation of murine IgE responses: Induction of long-lived inhibition of allergen-specific responses is genetically restricted

We previously reported that administration of high M r, glutaraldehyde-polymerized ovalbumin (OA-POL) 10 days prior to OA Al(OH) 3 immunization results in 85 to 99% inhibition of primary and secondary anti-OA IgE responses and 10 2- to 10 4-fold increases in OA-specific IgG 2a production in each of 14 inbred and 1 outbred murine strains tested. Administration of unmodified OA under the same conditions fails to inhibit IgE synthesis and yields only minor increases in IgG 2a production. In the present report, the genetic restrictions placed on the capacity of this modified allergen to elicit long-lived reciprocal regulation of specific IgE and IgG 2a responses were examined. Virtually permanent, antigen-specific inhibition of IgE production (>90% for >22 months) was elicited in C57B1/6 mice following administration of a single course of OA-POL. This inhibition was paralleled by substantial (250-fold) increases in specific IgG 2a production and was dependent on the activity of extremely long-lived regulatory CD4 T cells. In contrast, BALB/c mice failed to maintain an IgE unresponsive state beyond 10–12 weeks and exhibited transient and less intense increases in IgG 2a production. Examination of MHC and Igh congenic strains revealed that the induction of long-term split tolerance by these modified allergens is under multigenic control and is not solely attributable to MHC, Igh, or background genes.

The molecular basis of granuloma formation in schistosomiasis: IV. T cell-derived suppressor-inducer and suppressor-effector factor reactivities are regulated by a TCR β chain analog

In Schistosomiasis mansoni, granulomatous modulation is mediated by antigenically and genetically restricted T suppressor-inducer and suppressor-effector cells and the soluble factors which they produce. The T suppressor-inducer factor (TsiF) is produced by an L3T4 +, 14–30 + T cell. TsiF does not suppress directly, but induces the production of T-cell-derived suppressor-effector factor (TseF). TseF directly suppresses granuloma formation in vitro and in vivo. This study describes the molecular properties of TsiF. The factor is a nonimmunoglobulin heterodimer which can be separated into two component chains by dithiothreitol (DTT) reduction. The α chain imparts antigenic specificity and bears both the AgR and the epitope recognized by mAb 14–30 which characterizes T cells and factors of the Tsi phenotype. The β chain imparts genetic restriction and bears both the I-J phenotypic marker and a T-cell receptor for Ag (TCR) V β 8 determinant. These two chains can complement each other in vitro to reconstitute functional activity. The β chain also determines the functional activity of T cell-derived suppressor factor (TsF). A β chain, derived from TsiF, can complement the α chain derived from TsiF or TseF to reconstitute TsiF, but not TseF functional activity. Conversely the β chain of TseF can reconstitute only TseF activity. These findings suggest that TsiF bears structural homologies to the TCR borne by Tsi cells and that the β chain mediates the mode of functional interactions between TsFs and their target cells.

Immune response gene regulation of immunity to Plasmodium berghei sporozoites and circumsporozoite protein vaccines. Overcoming genetic restriction with whole organism and subunit vaccines.

We conducted a series of experiments to define Ir gene regulation of the immune response to Plasmodium berghei sporozoites and circumsporozoite (CS) protein-derived subunit vaccines. The studies demonstrated that there is no apparent genetic restriction of the capacity to develop protective immunity against a large sporozoite challenge after immunization with irradiation-attenuated P. berghei sporozoites; that the Th response to (Asp-Pro-Ala-Pro-Pro-Asn-Ala-Asn)n, the predominant protective B epitope on the P. berghei CS protein, is genetically restricted and regulated by Class II genes (I-Ab) and by genes in the Class I region (H-2Dk) or telomeric to this region; and that this restriction can be overcome by immunization with a r protein including the entire P. berghei CS protein. The results support the development of full length human CS protein vaccines to take advantage of all potential T epitopes on this protein.

The molecular basis of granuloma formation in schistosomiasis. II. Analogies of a T cell-derived suppressor effector factor to the T cell receptor.

During Schistosoma mansoni infection, Ts cells regulate granulomatous modulation via antigenically and genetically restricted suppressor inducer and suppressor effector factors. The T suppressor effector factor (TseF) directly suppresses granuloma formation both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we probe the molecular basis of these TseF properties. Using techniques of heterodimeric chain reduction with DTT and in vitro functional complementation, chimeric molecules were constructed. By analyzing genetic restrictions, antigenic specificities, and phenotypic markers, the contributions of the component chains to 72 kDa TseF reactivity were determined. One chain bore an Ag receptor and imparted antigenic specificity. The other chain bore an IJ determinant, a TCR beta-chain allotypic determinant, a suppressor effector phenotypic determinant, and imparted functional genetic restriction. Functional activity required covalent, probably sulfhydryl mediated, linkage as succinylation prevented the separated component chains from reconstituting functional activity. Additional studies demonstrated that anti-serum directed against either the T cell receptor or the T3 epsilon-chain could abrogate functional activity. However, TseF bore no T3 epsilon-chain phenotypic marker per se suggesting that TseF effects T lymphocytes via transmembrane signal transduction. These studies suggest that a regulatory network is operative in granuloma modulation. This regulatory network is mediated by a soluble TseF that bears significant structural homologies to the classic TCR.

Are The Immune Responses to Endocrine Autoantigens Genetically Restricted?

Thymus-dependent (T) lymphocytes predominantly recognize antigens only when associated with products of the major histocompatibility complexes (MHC). This phenomenon is known as “genetic restriction” of the immune response. MHC Class II antigens restrict immunoregulatory T cells whereas Class I molecules determine the recognition by cytotoxic T cells or tumor cells and virus-infected cells. Genetic variations in cell-mediated and humoral responses to antigens have been related to variations in the first extracellular domain of Class II molecules.1 The bulk of data relate to the mouse, but similar information relative to the human is rapidly emerging.

Multiple T helper cell epitopes of the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium berghei

The present findings establish the lack of genetic restriction of the humoral immune response to sporozoites of Plasmodium berghei, corraborating earlier observations that mice of different strains can be protected by immunization with irradiated sporozoites. Most, if not all, anti-sporozoite antibodies are directed against the repetitive B cell epitope of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein. However, neither a peptide containing a dimer of this repeat (17.1), nor a peptide polymer containing multiple repeats induced an antibody response in mice of different H-2 and different genetic backgrounds. A yeast-derived recombinant, containing the repeat domain and part of the surrounding amino and carboxy-terminal regions of the P. berghei CS protein, induces very different levels of antibody in mice of diverse H-2 haplotypes. H-2j mice are high responders and the immunized mice are extensively protected against sporozoite challenge. The lymph node cells of the H-2j mice (but not from other strains) proliferated in the presence of peptide N, contained in the amino terminal region of the CS recombinant. Additional H-2-restricted T cell epitopes have been identified in amino and carboxy-terminal regions of the CS protein, and mice of most of the strains recognized multiple T cell epitopes. Two peptides representing T cell epitopes were synthesized in tandem with a peptide representing the B cell epitope, and were assayed for T helper activity in vivo. The antibody response of mice, primed by a single injection of sporozoites, was boosted very effectively by the administration of peptide N + 17.1 or peptide B-4 + 17.1. The B-4 T cell epitope is located in the carboxy-terminal region of the CS protein and is recognized by mice of at least four different H-2 haplotypes. These observations demonstrate that the immune response to the CS protein of P. berghei is not genetically restricted and that it contains several T cell epitopes, some of which can function as helper epitopes. In addition, they show that a synthetic sporozoite vaccine can boost the immune response to sporozoites.

Genetic restriction of the murine humoral response to a recombinant Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein.

The antibody response of inbred and congenic strains of mice immunized with a recombinant Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein was investigated. Only mice of the H-2k and H-2a haplotypes developed antibodies that react with P. vivax sporozoite in an indirect immunofluorescence assay and with the recombinant protein in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Congenic recombinant strains were used to map Ir gene control to the I-Ak locus. A similar pattern of genetic restriction was found when congenic strains were immunized with a carrier-free synthetic peptide corresponding to the repeat region of the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein. The results suggest that the ability of T helper cells to recognize a T cell epitope(s) in the repeat region of the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein is genetically restricted.

Two roles for Ia in antigen-specific T lymphocyte activation.

In this study we examined the mechanism by which a PPD-specific murine T cell hybridoma, 8B2, recognized PPD associated with antigen-presenting cells (APC) in a manner genetically restricted by I-Ad. It was found that PPD-pulsed APC that were glutaraldehyde-fixed and treated with anti-Ia monoclonal antibody (abbreviated as PGM) were unable to stimulate the 8B2 T cells, as expected, due to inhibition caused by antibody binding to the Ia. However, addition of non-antigen-treated, glutaraldehyde-fixed APC (abbreviated as G) to cultures containing 8B2 T cells and PGM restored T cell activation, as determined by IL 2 production. This second non-antigen-specific function provided by the additional APC, G, was attributed to Ia and could be substituted by APC plasma membranes and by soluble membrane extracts. Genetic restriction analysis in which a variety of Ia-positive and Ia-negative cell lines and B cell blasts from different mouse strains were used as PGM or as G showed that each APC provided different Ia determinants that were specifically recognized by the T cells. PGM cells had to express I-Ad in order to present the PPD determinant, whereas the non-antigen-specific function was specific for I-Ad or I-Ab. These results suggest that the anti-Ia antibody does not interfere with the PPD/I-Ad-specific determinant bound by the antigen-specific T cell receptor, but prevents a second non-antigen-specific interaction with another region of the Ia molecule, which is provided by G. These two roles for Ia (antigen-specific and non-antigen-specific) were also found for activation of normal polyclonal PPD-specific T cell responses; thus they are not unique to the 8B2 T cell, but are generally applicable. In addition, T cell interactions with PGM and with G each provide different intracellular activation signals. This was determined by substituting the PGM or the G with either the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or the Ca++ ionophore, ionomycin. It was found that 8B2 T cells cultured with PGM and ionomycin, but not with PGM and PMA, were activated for IL 2 production. Neither PMA nor ionomycin in conjunction with G resulted in T cell activation. Taken together, these results indicate that 8B2 T cell activation involves APC Ia antigens in two different ways: one is to contribute to the presentation of the foreign PPD antigen, and a second is a non-antigen-specific Ia-T cell interaction necessary to provide additional intracellular activation signals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Regulatory mechanisms in cytotoxic T lymphocyte development

We addressed questions pertaining to the immunogenetics of an in vitro alloinduced suppressor T cell (Ts) previously shown to inhibit cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) development by suppressing CTL precursor proliferation. Using intra-MHC recombinant strains of B10 congenic mice, the requirements for H-2 differences to induce Ts activity, the antigen specificity of the Ts, and the genetic restriction of Ts function were studied. It was found that differences at the K, D, or I regions alone can induce strong suppressor activity. Suppression of CTL development does not appear to be genetically restricted since the Ts inhibit CTL from responder cells disparate at K, K and D, I, or K and I. The alloinduced Ts is specific for the antigen stimulating its induction, but also inhibits CTL responses against immunologically unrelated determinants, even between class I and class II antigens, provided those determinants are carried on cells expressing the original inducing antigen. Ts can be triggered by antigens present on the responder cells but absent on the stimulator cells, indicating that the suppressive signal may be exerted directly on the responder population without specific interaction with stimulator cells.

A novel suppressive activity: Complementation between a T cell induced with first-order T-suppressor factor and an I-J-restricted antigen-nonspecific T cell

Previous studies demonstrated that the first-order T-suppressor factor (TsF 1) requires the presence of antigen to induce idiotype-specific Ts cells which readily suppress phenyltrimethylamino (TMA) hapten-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses when transferred into already immune recipients. In this study we show that TsF 1 in the absence of antigen induces a splenic population which limits DTH in recipient mice only when an additional accessory lymphoid population was also cotransferred. Neither of these populations alone was sufficient to mediate suppression and depletion of T cells in either population's abrogated suppression, indicating the T-cell dependency of the complementing cell types. Moreover, suppression was seen only when TMA-TsF 1induced and not normal spleen cell lysate-induced cells were cotransferred with the antigen-induced population, suggesting the requirement for a specific signal to induce the factor-induced population. Further experiments showed that the antigen-induced lymphoid population could be replaced by either heterologous antigen-induced or adjuvant alone-induced splenic populations, indicating the lack of specificity of this secondary population. Further analysis showed that the cell complementation between TMA-TsF 1-induced and the nonspecific accessory lymphoid population resulted in antigen-specific and genetically restricted immune suppression. The TsF 1-induced lymphoid population was not responsible for the genetic restriction, and furthermore, there was no restriction observed between the two complementing populations. However, matching of the nonspecific accessory cell with the recipient host at the I-J subregion of the H-2 complex was essential for immune suppression. Finally, the activity of complementing cells was found to be independent of cyclophosphamide-sensitive Ts populations of the recipient mice. The ramifications of these findings with reference to the existing suppressor pathways are discussed.

Regulation of B-cell differentiation: interactions of factors and corresponding receptors.

The antibody response to nominal antigen such as hapten-carrier con­ jugates involves the cooperation of hapten-specific B cells and carrier­ specific helper T cells (1-4). In addition to the carrier specificity, helper T cells recognize determinants encoded by genes in the class-II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on antigen-presenting cells as well as on B cells (5-13). The interaction between helper T cells and antigen­ presenting accessory cells (APC) is genetically restricted by products of the major histocompatibility complex (14-16). However, the cellular interac­ tions between helper T cells and B cells have been reported as restricted by self-MHC products (5-7, 10-12, 17) or not restricted by the MHC elements (18, 19). Since genetic restrictions imposed by products of the MHC are considered as a requirement for the recognition by T cells of self-MHC determinants expressed by non-T cells (APC), this controversy can be explained on the basis of whether T cells must necessarily recognize the MHC determinants expressed by B cells in order to trigger them to secrete antibodies. Since the original description of a role for T cells in the antigen­ dependent stimulation of B cells, a great deal of effort has gone toward elucidating the mechanism by which helper T cells function. A series of studies demonstrated that some members of the B-cell population participate in cognate cellular interactions with helper T cells. Cognate interaction refers to the recognition of both antigen and a class-II MHC molecule on the B-cell surface as a requirement for activation. Other

T cell regulation of B cell activation. Lyt-1+,2-T cells modify the MHC-restricted function of heterogeneous and cloned T suppressor cells.

Previous studies have shown the existence of both heterogeneous Lyt-1-,2+ suppressor (Ts) cells and cloned Lyt-1+,2- Ts cells which, despite the difference in their Lyt phenotypes, functioned in a similar antigen-specific and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted fashion to suppress the antibody responses generated by cloned helper T (Th) cells and hapten-primed B cells. Our studies were carried out to assess in further detail the genetically restricted cell interactions that mediate this immune response suppression. We show that the activation of both heterogeneous and cloned Ts cells is antigen-specific and MHC-restricted under our experimental conditions. After appropriate activation, the effector function of both cloned Lyt-1+,2-Ts cells and heterogeneous Lyt-1-,2+ Ts cells was also antigen-specific. In contrast, once activated, Ts cells suppressed the responses generated by cloned Th cells and hapten-primed B cells in an MHC-unrestricted fashion. We also showed, however, that a population of unprimed Lyt-1+,2-T cells was able to significantly alter the genetic restriction requirements for Ts cell function. The activity of this population was itself MHC-restricted, and was observed only when the unprimed Lyt-1+,2-T cells shared the MHC restriction specificity of the cloned Th cells functioning in a given response. When these requirements were satisfied, Lyt-1+,2- T cells significantly modified the suppression mediated by both heterogeneous and cloned Ts cells, resulting in suppression that was then MHC restricted in its effector function as well as in its activation requirements. Thus, our findings suggest that the observed MHC restriction in Ts function is the result of a complex interaction involving Ts cells, Th cells, and an additional population of MHC-restricted Lyt-1+,2- T cells. This newly characterized activity of Lyt-1+,2- T cells functionally resembles that of an MHC-restricted contrasuppressor population that selectively blocks a pathway of MHC-unrestricted Ts activity, while leaving intact susceptibility to MHC-restricted Ts effects.