Strong lymphoproliferative suppressive function of PLT clones specific for SB-like antigens

Conditions for the generation of autoreactive human T cell clones: requirement for lymphokines other than interleukin 2 alone

In an attempt to determine whether factors other than interleukin (IL) 2 alone were necessary for the generation of autoreactive suppressive T cell clones, lymphocytes from HLA-Dw-matched allogeneic mixed leukocyte cultures (MLC) were propagated and cloned in purified IL 2, partially purified IL 2, conditioned medium (CM) from stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), or with purified IL 2 plus IL 3, IL 4, or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Cloning efficiencies were very low in all cases (less than 10%) and of 48 clones tested only 6 were capable of autocrine proliferation after stimulation with autologous PBMC. Four of these clones were derived from populations expanded and cloned in CM, one from cultures with partially purified IL 2, and one with purified IL 2. All were CD4+ alpha/beta-T cell receptor. Their stimulation was blocked by anti-DR and broadly reactive MHC class II-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) but not by anti-DQ or anti-DP mAb. One clone was blocked exclusively by broad mAb but not by anti-DR, -DQ, or -DP mAb, and this was the only clone to suppress lymphocyte proliferation in allogeneic MLC, a property previously described for autoreactive clones derived under similar conditions detecting potentially novel lymphocyte activating determinants designated "DY." These results therefore suggest that DY-specific autoreactive suppressive clones are produced under these conditions only at a low frequency and that an unidentified factor other than IL 2, IL 3, IL 4, or IFN-gamma is involved in their generation.

A T cell clone defining a common DP/DR determinant in strong linkage disequilibrium with HLA-A9

Clone F-7 was generated by limiting dilution of lymphocytes stimulated by allogeneic PBL on MLC. Priming against the A23, Cw6, B45, DR7, DRw53, DQw2 haplotype was performed between two HLA haploidentical first degree relatives. The clone was tested for its ability to proliferate in response to a panel of 38 homozygous B lymphoblastoid cell lines plus three local T cell lines. It showed a pattern of reactivity corresponding to HLA-A9 specificity (r = 1) and presented a concomitant cytotoxic activity. Phenotypically, this clone consisted entirely of CD4 cells, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence. Its reactivity was completely blocked by anti-DR (GSP4.1, PL8, L243) and anti-DP (B7/21, PL15) Mo-Abs, whereas anti-DQ (1A3, TU22) and anti-class I (w6/32, BB7.7) Mo-Abs and anti-A9 antibodies did not inhibit its reactivity. These results may suggest that clone F-7 could recognize a DP specificity sharing common determinants with DR, which occurs in linkage disequilibrium with HLA-A9.

DY determinants, possibly associated with novel class II molecules, stimulate autoreactive CD4+ T cells with suppressive activity

A set of T cell clones (TCC) isolated from HLA-DR-, Dw-, DQ-matched allogeneic MLCs was found to proliferate autonomously when stimulated with cells carrying a wide range of class I or II specificities. This apparently unrestricted proliferation was relatively weak, and only low levels of IL-2 were present in the supernatants of stimulated cells. Autologous as well as allogeneic PBMC and B lymphoblastoid cell lines (B-LCL) were capable of stimulating such clones, which were also restimulated by suppressive, but not by helper, TCC. Moreover, such clones displayed the unusual property of autostimulation. mAb inhibition experiments suggested that class II- or class II-restricted antigens were involved in stimulation. Thus, certain "broad" mAbs (TU39, SG520) reacting with multiple locus products inhibited activation of these reagents, but none of those reacting more specifically with DR (TU34, TU37, L243, Q2/70, SG157), DQ (TU22, SPV-L3, Leu 10), or DP (B7/21), or mixtures of these mAbs, were able to do so. Evidence from sequential immunoprecipitation experiments suggested that mAb TU39 bound class II-like molecules other than DR, DQ, and DP on TCC and B-LCL, and it is therefore proposed that such putative novel class II-like molecules may carry the stimulating determinants for these autoreactive clones. DY-reactive clones lacked helper activity for B cells but mediated potent suppressive activity on T cell proliferative responses that was not restricted by the HLA type of the responding cells. Suppressive activity was induced in normal PBMC by such clones, as well as by independent suppressive clones, which was also inhibited only by mAb TU39. These findings lead to the proposal that DY-reactive autostimulatory cells may constitute a self-maintaining suppressive circuit, the level of activity of which would be regulated primarily by the availability of IL-2 in the microenvironment.

Constitutive functional heterogeneity without detectable somatic mutation of antigen receptor genes in helper T cell clones: possible regulation by novel HLA class II "DY" determinants

The majority of interleukin 2-dependent HLA class II alloreactive human CD4-positive helper T-cell clones (TCC) presented the phenomenon of constitutive intraclonal heterogeneity, as reflected by limiting dilution analysis of changing frequencies of autonomously proliferative cells within the monoclonal population. Moreover, at 30-35 population doublings, these TCC lost their allospecific proliferative and helper capacity (phase I) and instead acquired strong antigen-non-specific suppressive activity (phase II). The TCR was still expressed at the same level on the cell surface. As shown by stable and identical rearrangement profiles of their T-cell receptor beta- and gamma-chain genes in both phases I and II, this constitutive change of function was probably not due to somatic mutation of the genes coding for the antigen-specific receptor. Moreover, antigen specific reactivity was retained in phase II TCC by the criterion of specifically stimulated secretion of granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor. The preprogrammed intra-clonal functional flexibility is explained here by invoking a novel regulatory mechanism mediated by a fourth group of HLA class II determinants. When TCC were used as stimulators with the appropriate primed responders, it could be demonstrated that phase I autonomously proliferative non-suppressive T-helper lines failed to express certain novel lymphocyte activating determinants (LADs), whereas after their acquisition of suppressive function (phase II) these LADs were present. These stimulatory moieties appeared to represent a novel class II-like structure as established by serology, immunochemistry and functional characterization employing monoclonal antibodies to block stimulation. These operationally designated "DY" determinants are primarily and thus far exclusively involved in the induction of antigen non-specific suppressor cells. It is proposed that the intra-clonal changes of T-cell function described here are mediated by a switch in the utilization of qualitatively distinct class II-like restriction elements. The functional status of the phase I TCC can be altered by a switching over to the engagement of "DY" determinants in phase II. Thus, an autostimulatory and self-maintaining suppressive network may operate in extended inductive phases of human HLA restricted T-cell responses.

Dissection of suppressor cell generation in vitro

Suppressor cells (SC) that nonspecifically inhibited lymphoproliferative (LP) responses were found after culturing peripheral blood mononuclear cells: with suppressor T-cell clones, in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC), and with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2), but were not found after culture in medium alone. A monoclonal anti-IL-2 receptor (R) antibody (MoAb), TU69, which blocked LP responses of IL 2-dependent T-cell lines, also blocked SC induction by T-cell clones, but completely failed to inhibit SC generation in MLC or with IL-2. This suggests that the IL-2R epitope defined by TU69 was not involved in SC induction in the latter systems. MoAb against HLA-DQ (TU22), -DR (TU34, SG157), -DP (B7/21), or DR and DP (TU43, 58), all of which were able to block stimulation of appropriately specific clones, did not block SC induction in any of the three systems studied. In contrast, the broadly reactive moAb TU39, which binds at least DR and DP but also has additional reactivity for determinants tentatively designated "DY," blocked SC induction by T-cell clones and in MLC. Finally, an anti-HLA class I MoAb, W6/32.HL, greatly decreased SC generation in MLC, but not with rIL-2 or T-cell clones. Thus, the induction of nonspecific SC was dissected into three pathways involving: class I and TU39-defined but not DR, DQ, or DP determinants (in MLC) which was independent of the IL-2R epitope bound by TU69; only TU39-defined determinants (with T-cell clones), which were IL 2R dependent; and, neither class I, class II nor TU39-defined determinants (induction by rIL-2), which was also TU69+ IL-2R independent.

Modulation of in vitro myelopoiesis by alloreactive T cell clones

Regulatory effects of mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC)-derived CD4+ human T cell clones on granulocyte-macrophage colony (CFU-GM) formation by normal bone marrow (BM) were studied in an initial attempt to establish an in vitro model for the negative feedback control of myelopoiesis by alloactivated T cells. This is likely to be of clinical significance in the aberrant control of haematopoiesis during some cases of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic BM transplantation. Whilst 5 such alloproliferative clones generally failed to suppress CFU-GM, the majority of clones with natural killer (NK)-like activity, or those with suppressive activity in MLC, regularly and strongly suppressed in this system, reinforcing the view that certain T cells may have potent negative regulatory effects on haematopoiesis.

NO1: an HLA-DQw1-associated determinant present on loss mutants not expressing DQw1

We have used two monoclonal antibodies, FA and Tu39, and cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes to study the immunogenetic control of an HLA-D region-encoded determinant(s) recognized by the Tc other than class I or DR or DQ. The Tc recognize a determinant associated with one (the A2) haplotype of LCL721 and are lytic to mutants of LCL 721 that have lost expression of all class I as well as the serologically defined DR and DQw specificities associated with, and presumably identical to, DPw2, the specificity encoded by the sensitizing (A2-B51) haplotype; these data provide the first evidence that FA recognizes the protein dimer presumably expressing the DPw determinant. Those Tc blocked by Tu39 recognized a determinant, referred to as NO1, that is not associated in the population with DPw2, but is found on some, but not all, DQw1-positive cells. We propose three possible explanations for these results. (i) There may be a class II product other than DP or those expressing the DR or DQ serologically defined specificities carrying NO1; such a product could be either as yet undescribed (E. Long has obtained information for an expressed and as yet undefined class II beta gene, personal communication) or a second expressed dimer of the DQ or DP families. (We assume that no DR genes of the A2 haplotype are expressed in these mutants. (ii) NO1 and DPw2 may be on the same molecule; to account for the lack of association of NO1 and DPw2 in the population, one might propose a mechanism such as gene conversion leading to expression of NO1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Expression of MHC class II antigens in human B-cell leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

In this review we have summarized our experiences of serological analysis of MHC class II antigen expression in human B cell malignant disease. Cells from a large number of cases of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) have been examined for expression of class II antigens. Using a number of monoclonal antibodies which in some cases are specific for class II subregion products (DP, DQ and DR), MHC class II antigens were detected by indirect immunofluorescence and fluorescent activated cell sorter analysis in CLL and by immunohistochemical staining in NHL. At the cell surface in many cases of B cell malignant disease, products of the different class II subregion genes are non-coordinately expressed. The most commonly occurring pattern of non-coordinate expression of class II molecules is of expression of DP and DR antigens in the absence of detectable DQ expression. These findings are in contrast to normal B lymphocytes where DP, DQ and DR antigens are expressed together at the cell surface. There is considerable heterogeneity among cases comprising individual histopathological categories of B cell malignancy, and in many instances heterogeneous class II phenotypes are also found on cells from the same tumour. In chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, class II antigen expression is inducible in vitro by treating the cells with the phorbol ester TPA. CLL cells treated with TPA have much increased levels of class II antigen expression at the cell surface and much increased steady state levels of class II specific mRNA transcripts detectable with complementary DNA probes. Aberrant class II antigen expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of B cell malignant disease.

HLA-DP related suppression of mixed lymphocyte reaction with alloactivated lymphocytes

We studied the influence of HLA class I and class II antigens on the suppression of the MLR induced by primed lymphocytes (PLs) alloactivated in vitro. The suppression of 14 different PLs of 83 MLRs was analyzed. The PLs were primed against (i) HLA-DP (SB) (ii) HLA-DR/DQ or (iii) both HLA-DP and DR/DQ. The suppression was analyzed with special reference to the sharing of HLA-antigens between (i) the stimulator in the MLR and (ii) the stimulator generating the PL. HLA-DP and HLA-DR/DQ antigens were equally capable of generating suppressor cells. When these cells were added to MLRs, the specific stimulators induced the strongest suppression (74%), while allogeic cells sharing class II antigens induced a slightly weaker suppression (66%). The suppression related to HLA-DP (60%) was almost identical to that related to HLA-DR/DQ (59%). The HLA-A, B, C related suppression was of the same magnitude (58%). The unspecific suppression (40%), i.e. no relation to known HLA-antigens, was significantly lower than the class II related suppression, but not significantly lower than the class I related suppression. The suppression of the MLR did not seem to be caused by cytotoxic cells, consumption of lymphokines, nor changes in the kinetics of the MLR. Thus, HLA-DP antigens can-like DR/DQ antigens - induce PLs with the ability to suppress the MLR in an HLA-class II (DP or DR/DQ) related, and possibly a class I related, as well as an unspecific fashion.

Function of alloproliferative T lymphocyte clones correlates better with their class II recognitive specificity than with their cell surface phenotype

Alloproliferative primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) clones recognizing determinants associated with HLA-DR/Dw, SB, MB, or novel "SB-like" gene products were screened for their ability to suppress lymphoproliferative responses in primary and secondary mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC), and for their surface marker phenotypes. Two nonsuppressive HLA-D specific PLT clones were OKT4-, OKT8+ whereas all others possessed an OKT4+, OKT8-, Leu-8- phenotype. All clones secreted interleukin 2 (IL2) after specific stimulation. The eight PLT clones specific for "SB-like" antigens strongly suppressed MLC, whereas only one of 35 DR/Dw-specific, and none of 20 SB-specific PLT clones did so. Suppressive activity of such PLT clones was not restricted by major histocompatibility complex products, was radioresistant (20 Gy), and was not caused by absorption of IL2 or by cytotoxicity of the cloned cells. Suppressive clones exerted their effects directly on proliferating T cells, as assessed by their ability to prevent growth of cloned PLT cells stimulated by B cell lines, and their ability to block primary MLC even when added 96 h after the start of the 144-h culture. Culture supernatants from suppressive, but not from nonsuppressive, PLT clones also strongly and nonspecifically inhibited lymphoproliferative responses. The suppressive factor(s) was not dialyzable, not sensitive to pH 2 or heat treatment and not cytotoxic. Thus, all T cell clones proliferating against novel "SB-like" but not SB antigens, as well as rare clones specific for D region determinants, possess powerful nonspecific suppressive activities dissociated from their "helper-related" OKT4+, OKT8-, Leu 8-, IL2-secreting phenotypes.

The new HLA-DRw6- and 8- associated HLA-Dw HAG specificity defined by homozygous typing cell 9W 1802. Analysis with primed lymphocyte typing clones

Intrafamilial primary mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) typing established that an HLA-A, B, C homozygous, DP heterozygous donor HAG was homozygous for HLA-Dw and behaved as a homozygous typing cell (HTC). Both haplotypes of the HTC were HLA-DR identical, but could not be assigned a clear DR specificity, giving reactions with sera containing antibodies against DRw6, DRw8 and TA10. MLC checkerboard studies failed to assign the HTC HAG specificity to any established or provisional cluster, suggesting that it defined a new Dw specificity. Primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) clones derived from intra-familial priming against either HAG haplotype displayed heterogeneous reactivity patterns. One clone was restimulated only by family members and unrelated donors positive for Dw HAG. Other clones were restimulated by determinants associated with either Dw8 or Dw6. Blocking of stimulation with monoclonal antibodies against different class II molecules suggested that while stimulatory determinants associated with Dw HAG and Dw8 were classifiable as HLA-D related, those associated with Dw6 were of a DP-like nature.

Alloproliferative human T cell clones primed and cultured in vitro lose proliferative and gain suppressive activity with age

Alloreactive human T lymphocyte clones were found to lose antigen-stimulated proliferative capacity and their ability to secrete interleukin 2 (IL 2) after a critical period in tissue culture. Instead, they gained the previously absent capacity to suppress lymphoproliferative (LP) responses in the presence or absence of exogenous IL 2. Such "ex-PLT" suppressive clones continued to grow perfectly well, retaining IL 2 and filler cell dependency, apparently normal karyotypes, and their OKT4+, OKT8- phenotypes. At least two suppressive mechanisms were demonstrated: (1) the "induction" of suppressive effectors in normal peripheral lymphocytes, and (2) a direct suppressive activity on lymphocyte proliferation shown by their ability to inhibit restimulation of cloned lymphocytes lacking suppressor cell precursors. The consistent "differentiation" from IL 2-secreting "helper" status to nonspecific suppressive status may represent a novel immunoregulatory phase in the long-term differentiation of normal human T cells.