Continuously proliferating allospecific T cells, lifespan and antigen receptors

Simplified techniques for the isolation of alloreactive cell lines and clones with specific cytotoxic or proliferative activity

A rapid method is described for the isolation of alloantigen specific proliferative and cytotoxic clones from primary mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). To raise cell lines and clones with specific alloantigenic proliferative activity in vitro, responder splenocytes were depleted of Lyt-2+ cells by monoclonal antibody and complement prior to in vitro sensitization. This procedure resulted in cultures highly proliferative to alloantigen with little or no lytic activity after expansion in interleukin-2 (IL-2). Subsequent cloning of lymphocytes from Lyt-1+ enriched allosensitized cultures by limiting dilution led to proliferative clones in extremely high yield, while cloning from nondepleted allosensitized cultures led to cytotoxic clones in high yield. Furthermore, conditions of high antigen and low IL-2 concentration favor the growth of proliferative cells while high IL-2 concentrations favored the growth of cytotoxic cells. These experiments indicate that selection for cytotoxic or proliferative clones may be enhanced by specific depletion of T cell subpopulations and by alteration of culture conditions.

Production of a B cell growth-promoting activity, (DL)BCGF, from a cloned T cell line and its assay on the BCL1 B cell tumor

Culture supernatants from a long-term alloreactive T cell line, the Dennert line C.C3.11.75 (DL) contain a B cell-growth-promoting activity. This activity can be assayed on normal B cells or on the in vivo BCL1 tumor line. We have called this activity (DL)BCGF. This activity can be distinguished from the T cell-replacing factor activity we had earlier found in DL supernates [(DL)TRF], which is required together with IL2 for the B cell plaque-forming cell response to erythrocyte antigens. The (DL)BCGF can be absorbed on untreated or glutaraldehyde-fixed BCL1. This absorption does not remove (DL)TRF activity. The production of (DL)BCGF is greatly enhanced when DL is cultured with IL2-containing supernatants. Sublines or clones of DL (DL.B10 and DL.A4) have been obtained that make large amounts of (DL)BCGF in the absence of any stimulator cells or IL2. B cells from the Xid-deficient male (DBA/2 X CBA/N)F1 mice do not respond to (DL)BCGF.

The still elusive T cell receptor: on the possibility of a common V-gene pool for B- and T-cell-antigen receptor molecules

The contention that VH constitutes a part of T-cell receptors for antigens was probed by purifying rabbit T cells and analysing these cells for non-immunoglobulin VH, i.e. VH not associated with L chain. A number of anti-VH antisera were employed for this purpose, the most important being goat antiserum, reacting with common a1 allotype determinants (allotype determinants expressed on free VH and H chain as well as on intact immunoglobulins), rat antibody against common non-allotype VH determinants (VH framework determinants expressed on VH and H chain as well as on intact immunoglobulins) and chicken antibody against unmasked non-allotype determinants (VH determinants accessible only in the absence of L chain). VH and L chain was quantified by radioimmunoassays on extracts and supernatants from unstimulated T cells as well as from T cells stimulated by concanavalin A and by allogeneic cells. Absolute depletion of Ig-containing and -producing cells was not achieved but in no case was an excess of VH over L chain observed. This indicated that all detected VH originated from cells of the B lineage. The cells were also cultured in the presence of labelled amino acids followed by analysis of detergent extracts and supernatants by immunoadsorption and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) fluorography. Again, no evidence for T-cell VH could be found. Affinity purified anit-VH antibody was used to label viable rabbit T cells through the use of secondary fluorescence-labelled anti-immunoglobulin antibody. No VH-specific labelling of T cells could be observed. Mixed lymphocyte cultures were carried out in the presence of affinity-purified anti-VH antibodies. No inhibition of the reaction could be discerned. The failure to detect T-cell VH is in agreement with the recent finding that the VH-genome in T cells is not rearranged in a functional manner similar to that in B cells.

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte hybridomas that mediate specific tumor-cell lysis in vitro

Cytotoxic hybridomas were generated by polyethylene glycol-induced fusion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and BW5147 lymphoma cells. The CTL populations used for fusion were obtained from BALB/c (H-2d) mice primed with leukemia EL4 of C57BL/6 (H-2b) and restimulated either in vivo or in vitro. To circumvent possible CTL-mediated nonspecific lysis of BW5147 cells during fusion, the CTL were transiently inactivated by trypsin prior to fusion. Four cytolytically active hybridomas were obtained, cloned, and subcloned. Hybrid clones lysed all H-2b leukemic target cells tested but not lipopolysaccharide- or concavanalin A-stimulated C57BL/6 lymphoblasts or non-H2b target tumor cells. The mechanism of hybridoma-mediated killing of target cells in vitro appears to be similar to that of parental CTL, although some differences have been observed. The hybridomas appear to possess neither natural killing nor antibody-dependent cytolytic activity. Clones of hybrids propagated in culture for over 6 months without the addition of known external stimulus (i.e., independent of cell growth factor and antigen) exhibit specific lytic activity against H-2b tumor cells. Such autonomous hybridomas will provide a tool for studying the mechanism of CTL-mediated lysis and the nature of the CTL receptors.

Culture supernatants of a stimulated T-cell line have helper activity that acts synergistically with interleukin 2 in the response of B cells to antigen

Culture supernatants of an antigen-stimulated long-term alloreactive T cell line, C.C3.11.75, contain a T-cell-replacing factor (TRF) activity for the B-cell response to antigen. These same supernatants show little activity in the T-cell growth assay or the costimulator assay. TRF activity was assayed by using spleen cells that were rigorously depleted of both T cells and macrophages. In this assay preparations containing interleukin 2 and supernatants from stimulated C.C3.11.75 cells are relatively inactive if added alone but show marked synergy when added together. We conclude that the C.C3.11.75 TRF activity is not due to interleukin 1 or to interleukin 2 but to a third factor provisionally designated as (DL)TRF. This activity may be equivalent to the (late-acting) TRF described by Schimpl and Wecker. Evidence is presented suggesting that the helper activity (DL)TRF is a product of the T-cell line.

The Lyt phenotype of a long-term allospecific T cell line. Both helper and killer activities to IA are mediated by Ly-1 cells

The relationship between surface antigen expression and function in the long-term allospecific T cell line C.C3.11.75 was examined by flow microfluorometry, antiserum plus complement depletion and cell sorting. T cells of the line expressed Lyt-1, but little or no Lyt-2 antigens. Proliferation to cells bearing Iak determinants, generation of T cell-replacing nonspecific helper factor in response to Iak-positive cells and the killing of Iak-positive targets were dependent only on Ly-1 cells. No obvious heterogeneity was found in this cell line despite its disparate functional activities. The fact that Lyt-2 molecules need not be present for killing directed against Ia determinants indicates that such molecules are not obligatory for the induction or delivery of killing and raises the question of what the role of Lyt molecules in T cell recognition or function might be.

Expansion of human lymphocyte populations expressing specific immune reactivities. III. Specific colonies, either cytotoxic or proliferative, obtained from a population of responder cells primed in vitro. Preliminary immunogenetic analysis

Human alloreactive cell lines were maintained in culture over prolonged periods of time using conditioned medium. Primed lymphocyte typing reactivity was observed in these T cell lines for only 1 mo, but these T cell lines have remained for more than 7 mo highly and specifically cytotoxic. Using as growth promoter an irradiated autologous feeder consisting of irradiated peripheral blood lymphocytes and the lectin leucoagglutinin, we have derived by limiting dilution cloning of in vitro primed allogeneic combinations, primary colonies (or primary clones) with monofunctional immune reactivities: either cytotoxic (the rarest observed) or PLT reactive (the majority of the colonies). Furthermore, each monofunctional primary colony when tested for PLT or CML reactivity on a panel of unrelated PBL, always showed a restricted specificity when compared to the original primed population. The PLT reactivity of each of the primary clones was short lasting in contrast to their growth potential. The CML reactivity of the primary clones, as for the T cell lines, was long lasting as was their growth potential.

Fine specificity mapping of two allospecific T cell lines: recognition of private specificities in the H-2 IA subregion

Two allospecific T-cell lines, C.C3.11.75 (H-2d anti-H-2k) and B6.C.7.76 (H-2b anti-H-2d) established from mixed lymphocyte cultures, were selected by continuous antigenic stimulation over several years. Both cell lines proliferated to alloantigen, provided allohelp to B cells in the humoral antibody response, and one of them showed cytolytic activity. Using spleen cells from various congenic mouse strains, the specificity of antigen recognition was examined in order to examine whether there is a correlation between T cell function and antigen recognition. Results showed that in all functional assays. This shows that there is no obligatory correlation between T cell function and antigen recognition and may suggest that the T cell receptor repertoire is biased towards recognizing private specificities.

Development and characterization of allospecific long-term human cytolytic T-cell lines

Two long-term human cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) lines (VE and JR), whose cytolytic activity was dependent upon both irradiated JY cells (the stimulating alloantigen) and T-cell growth factor, were established. These lines were monitored in culture for 6-8 months. Both lines were specific for HLA-A or B antigens or both and the JR line was allospecific for HLA-B7. These CTL lines killed specific target cells at an effector-to-target ratio of 0.4 (VE) or 0.08 (JR). All of the cells, which grow in suspension, rosetted with sheep erythrocytes and reacted with an antiserum specific for human T cells. The CTL line VE was used to raise rabbit antisera that immunoprecipitated two specific polypeptides (78,000 and 33,000 daltons) from labeled membranes of these CTL lines.

Human primary T-cell lines in lectin-free media

A method of establishing human T-cell lines in tissue culture media containing TCGF but not PHA is described. PBL, initially stimulated by PHA to produce TCGF, continue production for at least 48 hrs after the lectin has been washed off. The TCGF-conditioned medium initiates blast formation of T-cells from freshly isolated PBL and supports indefinite growth of the T-cell blasts from the primary PBL cultures and also from blast-cells obtained from clonally derived T-cell colonies grown in soft agar culture. The established cell lines are identified by cytochemical and biological means as belonging to the T-cell compartment and express spontaneous cytotoxicity against HeLa-cells. The continuously growing T-cells are unable to produce TCGF and depend strictly on external supply of the growth factor. PHA by itself does not support T-cell growth in spite of its ability to elicit a mitogenic response in PBL-cultures. Thus two types of cells must be involved in the mitogenic event: (i) a TCGF-producer and (ii) a TCGF-responder. PHA elicits in the former TCGF production and then TCGF in the later the mitogenic T-cell response. Therefore, not PHA but TCGF might be considered to be the T-cell mitogen.

Effects of retinoic acid on the immune system: stimulation of T killer cell induction

Retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A derivative with anti-tumor activity, was assayed for its effects on the immune system in mice. High doses of this compound (1000 microgram/mouse/day) have toxic effects and cause depletion on the peripheral lymphoid organs (spleen, thymus) while leaving the bone marrow cells unaffected. Both the in vivo and in vitro induction of cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) to allogeneic tumor cells is stimulated at least tenfold by low doses (25--300 microgram/mouse/day) of RA while high doses suppress CMC induction. RA is shown to be a specific adjuvant for the induction of cytotoxic thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) and not a general T cell mitogen or adjuvant. It does not enhance the proliferative response in the mixed lymphocyte culture nor does it stimulate lymphocyte proliferation in response to the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. The induction of cooperating T cells and the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction are also not stimulated by RA. In contrast to the reported stimulatory effects of retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate, RA does not stimulate the humoral response to erythrocytes. The strong adjuvant effects that RA has on the induction of CMC at low doses may be responsible for its anti-tumor activity.

Failure of T cells specific for strong histocompatibility antigens to cooperate with B cells for a humoral response

Thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) selected for reactivity to strong histocompatibility antigens over a period of one to twelve months in vitro were tested for their ability to cooperate with bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B cells) for a humoral response. If cultured with normal syngeneic or allogeneic spleen cells and sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) as immunogen, inhibition of the anti-SRBC response was observed. Similarly, in T cell-free spleen cells the alloreactive T cells did not stimulate a humoral response, indicating that they cannot exert cooperative activity on B cells. Since it was possible that the alloreactive T cells may cooperate with B cells in a humoral response to immunogens carrying histocompatibility antigens, hapten-coupled tumor cells were also used as immunogen. Though it is demonstrated that the alloreactive T cells do recognize the tumor cell immunogen, no stimulation of the B cells for a humoral response against the tumor cell is observed. This result, as well as the finding that the antigenic requirements for T helper cell priming and cell proliferation of the alloreactive T cells are different, suggests that these alloreactive T cells and helper T cells belong to different T cell subsets.