The specific binding of Listeria monocytogenes-immune T lymphocytes to macrophages. I. Quantitation and role of H-2 gene products

Effects of blocking helper T cell induction in vivo with anti-Ia antibodies. Possible role of I-A/E hybrid molecules as restriction elements

To examine the role of Ia antigens in controlling T cell activation in vivo, unprimed (CBA X B6)F1 (H-2k X H-2b) T cells were positively selected to sheep erythrocytes (SRC) for 5 d in irradiated F1 mice in the presence of large doses of anti-Iak antibody. With selection in the presence of broad-spectrum anti-Iak antibody (A.TH anti-A.TL antiserum), the activated T cells were markedly reduced in their capacity to collaborate with either B10.BR (I-Ak I-Bk I-Jk I-Ek I-Ck) (kkkkk) or B10.A(4R) (kbbbb) B cells but gave good helper responses with B10 (bbbbb) and (B10 X B10.BR)F1 B cells. Because there was no evidence for suppression, these findings were taken to imply that the anti-Iak antibody bound to Ia determinants on radioresistant macrophagelike cells of F1 host origin and blocked the activation of the IGk-restricted subgroup of F1 T cells but did not affect activation of the Iab-restricted T cell subgroup. Analogous experiments in which F1 T cells were selected to SRC in F1 mice in the presence of monoclonal anti-I-Ak antibody gave different results. In this situation, the reduction in T cell help for Iak-bearing B cells applied to B10.A(4R) B cells but not to B10.BR B cells. With selection of F1 T cells in B10.A(4R) mice, by contrast, anti-I-Ak antibody blocked T cell help for both B10.A(4R) and B10.BR B cells. These data suggested that genes telomeric to the I-A subregion were involved in controlling T cell activation and T-B collaboration. Because no evidence could be found that I-B through I-C determinants per se could act as restrictions elements, the working hypothesis for the data is that Iak-restricted T cells consist of two subgroups of cells: one subgroup is restricted by I-A-encoded molecules, whereas the other is restricted by I-A/E hybrid molecules encoded by two separated genes situated in the I-A and I-E subregions, respectively. The notion that A/E hybrid molecules serve as restriction elements is in line with the findings of other workers that these molecules can act as alloantigens and control responses to certain antigens under double Ir gene control.

Antigen-reactive T cell clones. I. Transcomplementing hybrid I-A-region gene products function effectively in antigen presentation

Studies in our laboratory and elsewhere have shown that it is possible to propagate antigen-specific murine T cells in vitro with resultant specific stepwise enrichment of antigen-induced proliferative cells. The proliferative responses of these T cells are antigen specific and dependent upon the presence of antigen-presenting cells (spleen cells) that share the I-A subregion with the proliferating T cell. Using techniques of soft-agar cloning, it has been further possible to isolate clones of antigen-reactive T lymphocytes from such long-term cultures. Data suggesting that these were clones of antigen-reactive T cells were obtained by studying the recognition of antigen in association with antigen-presenting cells with a panel of such clones of antigen-reactive T cells. Proof of clonality was obtained by subcloning. Clones derived from F1-immune mice can be divided into three separate categories: one clone recognizes antigen in association with antigen-presenting determinants of parent A and the F1; the second type recognizes antigen in association with antigen-presenting determinants of parent B and the F1; and the third type recognizes antigen only in association with antigen-presenting determinants of the F1 mouse. Genetic studies on the major histocompatibility complex requirements for antigen presentation to such F1-reactive T cell clones suggests that the hybrid antigen-presenting determinant in this system results from transcomplementation of products of the I-A region of haplotypes a and b. These studies support the concept developed in our laboratory that there exist unique F1 hybrid determinants on (A/J X C57BL/6) F1 cells and suggest that these determinants can be utilized physiologically by hybrid mice in immunocompetent cellular interactions.