A late-differentiation antigen associated with the helper inducer function of human T cells

T lymphocytes possessing helper function produce soluble factors that greatly augment B-cell proliferation and differentiation into antibody-secreting cells. In humans the subset of T lymphocytes bearing the T4 surface antigen comprises most of the cells that display helper activity and recognize class II antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), while the subset bearing the T8 antigen comprises T cells recognizing class I MHC antigens and exhibiting cytotoxic or suppressor function. Monoclonal antibodies to T4 or T8 greatly inhibit the cognitive and effector function of cells with the corresponding phenotype. This function/phenotype correlation is not absolute, however, for there are many examples of T8-positive clones that recognize MHC class II antigens and have helper activity, as well as of T4-positive clones with suppressor or cytotoxic function. Recently a family of cell-surface neoantigens, which might be relevant to T-cell function and which are present on activated but not on resting T lymphocytes, has been identified in mouse and humans using monoclonal antibodies. Some of these antibodies block the cytolytic activity of alloreactive T-cell clones, suggesting the possible involvement of such molecules in the activation of cytotoxic T-cell clones or in the lytic process itself. We now describe a similar late-differentiation antigen (LDA1) that is expressed by human T lymphocytes only following activation and is recognized by a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the antibody-inducing helper function of T lymphocytes.     

Lymphocyte suppression in leprosy induced by unique M. leprae glycolipid

Leprosy remains a significant medical and social problem in many developing countries. The varied forms of the disease form a spectrum. At one pole, tuberculoid leprosy, patients develop high levels of cell-mediated immunity which results in the killing and clearing of bacilli in the tissues. At the lepromatous pole, patients exhibit a selective immunological unresponsiveness to antigens of Mycobacterium leprae so that the organisms inexorably multiply in the skin. We have suggested that in lepromatous leprosy one or a small number of unique antigenic determinants present on M. leprae might induce specific suppressor cells that inhibit the reactivity of helper T-cell clones capable of recognizing other specific or cross reactive determinants. Although unique epitopes have been identified by monoclonal antibodies on a small number of M. leprae proteins, the only unique species of antigen present in M. leprae, and not on any other species of mycobacteria so far examined, is a phenolic glycolipid (gly-I). We show here that this unique antigen of M. leprae is capable of inducing suppression of mitogenic responses of lepromatous patients' lymphocytes in vitro and provide evidence that the suppressor T cells recognize the specific terminal trisaccharide moiety.     

Monoclonal suppressor T-cell factor displaying V H restriction and fine antigenic specificity

The production of stable T-cell clones is essential for the study of T-cell-derived, specific immunoregulatory products and of specific T-cell receptors. T-cell clones have been established by radiation leukaemia virus (RadLV)-induced transformation of suppressor T lymphocytes specific for hen egg white lysozyme (HEL). We report here that culture supernatant obtained from these T-cell clones can, when injected into mice, specifically suppress the anti-HEL antibody response. This monoclonal T-cell product suppresses the antibody response induced by HEL and human lysozyme, but not that induced by ring-necked pheasant egg white lysozyme (REL), thus displaying fine antigenic specificity probably restricted to an epitope involving phenylalanine at amino acid residue 3, present in the N-terminal region of HEL and shared by human lysozyme but absent in REL. The suppression induced by this monoclonal T-cell product is restricted by both H-2 and Igh-1 genes whereas anti-HEL antibodies bearing a predominant idiotype are induced in all mice strains tested, irrespective of their H-2 haplotype or Igh-1 allotype.     

T-cell hybridoma bearing heavy chain variable region determinants producing (T,G)-A--L-specific helper factor

Thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) exert their regulatory effect (help or suppression) on the antibody production by B cells either by direct cell to cell interaction or by soluble mediators or factors. The low frequency of specific T cells, the heterogeneity of their responses and their relatively short life span have hampered the molecular characterization of the antigen recognition unit of T cells, and its structure is largely unknown. The lymphocyte hybridization technique, which has been found very useful for the production of B-cell hybridomas secreting specific monoclonal antibodies, has also been used for the generation of homogeneous and stable T-cell hybridomas with unlimited growth potential. So far the only specific effector function demonstrated in the established T hybridomas is the property to generate a factor(s) which suppresses antibody responses. We now describe the establishment of hybrid lines which exhibit characteristic T-cell markers. One of the hybridomas (denoted R-9) releases into the culture supernatant factor(s) with helper activity specific to the synthetic polypeptide (T,G)-A--L and bears surface determinants of the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (VH). Such hybrid cell lines are of great value for studies on the nature of the T-cell receptor.     

Analysis of specificity for antigen, Mls, and allogenic MHC by transfer of T-cell receptor alpha- and beta-chain genes

The majority of peripheral T lymphocytes bear cell-surface antigen receptors comprised of a disulphide-linked alpha beta dimer. In an immune response, this receptor endows T cells with specificities for foreign antigenic protein fragments bound to cell surface glycoproteins encoded in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). At a high frequency (greater than 1%), the same population of T lymphocytes responds to allogeneic MHC glycoproteins, or to differences at other genetic loci termed Mls, in conjunction with MHC. The alpha beta-antigen receptor has been implicated in alloreactivity and Mls reactivity. In fact, many monoclonal T-cell lines recognize a foreign protein fragment bound to self-MHC molecules and, in addition, recognize allogeneic MHC glycoproteins, an Mls-encoded determinant, or both. For at least one T-cell clone, a monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha beta antigen receptor has been shown to block activation induced by either antigen-bound self-MHC or by allogeneic MHC. However, it remains to be demonstrated directly that a single alpha beta receptor can mediate antigen specificity, alloreactivity and Mls reactivity, a prerequisite to understanding the structural basis of these high-frequency cross-reactivities. To address this issue we have performed transfers of receptor chain genes from a multiple-reactive T-cell clone into an unrelated host T lymphocyte. We now demonstrate definitively that the genes encoding a single alpha beta-receptor chain pair can transfer the recognition of self-MHC molecules complexed with fragments of antigen, allogeneic MHC molecules, and an Mls-encoded determinant (presumably in conjunction with MHC). In this case the transfer of antigen specificity and alloreactivity requires a specific alpha beta-receptor chain combination, whereas Mls reactivity can be transferred with the beta-chain gene alone into a recipient expressing a randomly selected alpha-chain.     

T3-Ti receptor triggering of T8+ suppressor T cells leads to unresponsiveness to interleukin-2

T3-associated disulphide linked heterodimers (Tin) comprised of clonally unique alpha-chains of molecular weight (MW) 49,000-54,000 and beta chains of MW 43,000 have been identified as the antigen receptors on human cytotoxic effector and inducer T-lymphocytes. Crosslinking of Ti molecules by either the appropriate nominal antigen/MHC specificity or anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody results in clonal expansion of such cells via induction of IL-2 receptor expression, endogenous IL-2 release and IL-2-IL-2 receptor interaction. To determine whether analogous antigen receptor molecules and autocrine growth mechanisms are utilized by suppressor T-cells, we produced an anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody against a non-cytotoxic T8+ suppressor T-cell, T8AC6, which defines a T3-associated disulphide-linked heterodimer of similar molecular weight to the above clonotypes. We find that Te-Ti triggering of suppressor clones (T8AC6, T8AC7 or T8RW) does not result in IL-2 production or T-cell proliferation and in contrast to inducer clones, also leads to a transient IL-2 unresponsive state. We suggest that such T3-Ti receptor mediated autoregulation of suppressor T-cell growth is necessary in the facilitation of initial inducer T-cell activation following antigenic perturbation.     

Hybrid antibodies can target sites for attack by T cells

It would be advantageous in the case of certain diseases to be able to focus a strong T-cell response at a chosen target, for example, in treating cancer or infections that have escaped the normal host response. At present, it seems inconceivable that we could use antigen-specific lines or clones of effector T cells for this purpose because of complications due to the major histocompatibility restriction of T-cell specificity and the problem of rejection of transplanted effector cells. Here we describe a novel technology which combines the power of T lymphocytes in eliminating unwanted cells and causing beneficial inflammatory reactions with the great advantages of monoclonal antibodies (their specificity and availability). We show that heteroconjugates of monoclonal antibodies (referred to hereafter as hybrid antibodies), in which one of the component binding sites is anti-T-cell receptor and the other component binding site is directed against any chosen target antigen, can focus T cells to act at the targeted site. Monoclonal antibodies directed against the T-cell receptor, such as the anti-allotype used here, are mitogenic for resting T cells and can be used to induce effector T cells carrying the T-cell receptor determinant which can then be directed against the target by a hybrid antibody.     

Activation of cytolytic T lymphocyte and natural killer cell function through the T11 sheep erythrocyte binding protein

The T11 sheep erythrocyte binding glycoprotein [relative molecular mass (Mr)50,000(50K)] is expressed throughout human T-lymphocyte ontogeny and appears to play an important physiological role in T-cell activation. Thus, the treatment of T cells with certain monoclonal anti-T11 antibodies results in antigen-independent polyclonal T-cell activation as assessed by proliferation and lymphokine secretion. In addition, the majority of thymocytes that have not yet acquired the T3-Ti antigen/major histocompatibility complex (MHC) receptor can be activated to express interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptors through this T11 structure. We show here that the triggering of cytolytic T (Tc) cells via T11 causes an antigen-independent activation of the cytolytic mechanism as evidenced by the induction of nonspecific cytolytic activity. Furthermore, T11+T3-Ti- natural killer (NK) cell clones can also be induced to lyse NK-cell-resistant targets by treatment with anti-T11 monoclonal antibodies directed at defined T11 epitopes. These results indicate that T11 triggering can activate cytotoxic lymphocytes to express their functional programmes in the absence of specific antigen recognition via the T3-Ti complex and provide further evidence for the notion that certain NK cells and T lymphocytes are related.     

Evidence for a physical association of CD4 and the CD3:alpha:beta T-cell receptor

CD4 is a molecule expressed on the surface of T lymphocytes which recognize foreign protein antigens in the context of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Recognition of antigen:class II MHC complexes by CD4+ T cells can be inhibited by anti-CD4 (ref. 3). Nevertheless, specific recognition of the antigen:Ia complex is clearly a function of the T-cell receptor, which is composed of CD3 and the variable polypeptides alpha and beta. Thus, it has been proposed that CD4 serves an accessory function in the interaction of CD4+ T cells and Ia-bearing antigen-presenting cells by binding to non-polymorphic portions of class II MHC molecules and stabilizing the cell interaction. Based on our observation that anti-CD4 could inhibit activation of a cloned line of CD4+ T cells by antibodies directed at a particular epitope on the variable region of the T-cell receptor, we have recently proposed that CD4 is actually part of the T-cell antigen recognition complex, physically associated with CD3:alpha:beta. But numerous studies showing that CD3 and CD4 are not stably associated on the T-cell surface would appear to contradict this model. Here we show that anti-T-cell-receptor antibodies can co-modulate expression of the T-cell receptor and CD4, and that the monovalent Fab fragment of such an anti-T-cell-receptor antibody can, in conjunction with bivalent anti-CD4 antibody, generate an activating signal for the T cell. These findings provide further evidence for a physical association of the T-cell receptor complex and CD4.     

Anti-HLA-A2 antibody-enhancement of peptide association with HLA-A2 as detected by cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Most cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) not only recognize epitopes of viral or other foreign proteins in association with class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, but also recognize target cells sensitized with short synthetic peptides representing the epitopes. There is increasing evidence that these synthetic peptides associate with the class I molecule both at the cell surface and intracellularly. We have now investigated the effect of a monoclonal antibody specific for HLA-A2 and HLA-B17 (B57/58) molecules (antibody MA2.1)3 on the sensitization of target cells with peptide for lysis by HLA-A2-restricted CTL. Previously, anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibodies have been shown to inhibit the recognition of target cells, infected with influenza A virus, by virus-specific CTL. We find, however, that target cells treated with MA2.1 antibody can be sensitized with peptide for CTL lysis much more rapidly than untreated cells, or at greater than 100-fold lower peptide concentration than that required for sensitization of untreated cells. This implies that the antibody, which is believed to bind to one side of the peptide-binding groove, directly affects the binding of peptide to the HLA-A2 molecule at the cell surface.     

Functional and molecular organisation of an antigen-specific suppressor factor from a T-cell hybridoma

Thymus-dependent (T) lymphocytes have been shown to have antigen specificity. The antigen receptor on T lymphocytes, in contrast to that on B lymphocytes, does not appear to be of the conventional immunoglobulin (Ig) type. Studies on the antigen-specific factors derived from helper and suppressor T cells (Ts) demonstrated that they possess determinants with antigen binding affinity and products of genes in the H-2 complex (MHC). Furthermore, antibodies against the variable region of Ig heavy chains or idiotypes have been shown to react with T-cell antigen receptors as well as antigen-specific helper and suppressor T-cell factors (TsF). It is, therefore, conceivable that at least two gene products are involved in the structural entity of these receptors: one each coded for by genes in either. To establish the molecular nature of the recognition component of T cells we have used homogeneous TsF from a T-cell hybridoma with a specific function. We report here that the antigen binding and I-J coded molecules on TsF are independently synthesised in the cytoplasm, and are secreted as an associated form of the two molecules; this association is required for antigen-specific suppression of antibody response.     

Antigen-specific interaction between T and B cells

It is well known that B cells require T-cell help to produce specific antibody. Classic experiments suggested that antigen-specific helper T cells interact with antigen-specific B cells via an antigen 'bridge', the B cells binding to one determinant on an antigen molecule (the 'hapten'), while the T cells at the same time recognize another determinant (the 'carrier'). T-helper cells bind specifically to antigen-presenting cells (APC), which have picked up and processed the appropriate antigen, and this interaction, like the interaction of T-helper cells with specific B cells, is restricted by products encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Whereas conventional APC such as macrophages display no binding specificity for antigen, B cells have clonally distributed antigen-specific surface immunoglobulin receptors which would be expected to enhance their capacity to present antigen to T cells. These findings are difficult to reconcile with the simple 'antigen bridge' mechanism of interaction, because it is hard to visualize how the bimolecular complex (processed antigen plus MHC molecule) on the APC surface can resemble the trimolecular complex (antigen bound to surface immunoglobulin plus MHC molecule) on the B-cell surface. To address this problem, we have cloned and immortalized human antigen-specific B cells with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and analysed their interaction with T-cell clones specific for the same antigen. We report here that surface immunoglobulin is indeed involved in the uptake and concentration of antigen, allowing specific B cells to present antigen to T cells with very high efficiency. However, the antigen must first be internalized and processed by specific B cells and it is then presented to T cells in an MHC-restricted manner indistinguishable from that characteristic of conventional APC.     

Establishment of idiotypic helper T-cell repertoires early in life

Immunoglobulin variable-region (V) genes, it is now recognized, do not encode specific receptors for T lymphocytes. Classical observations on T-cell expression of immunoglobulin idiotypes had remained unexplained until recent experiments showed that immunoglobulin idiotypes expressed by T lymphocytes in normal mice are absent in cells of the same specificity isolated from donors whose B-cell system has been suppressed by administration of anti-mu antibodies from birth. This observation provided evidence for the 'learning' of T-cell idiotypes from the B-cell/antibody system and, therefore, for the importance of idiotypic network interactions in the selection of available lymphocyte repertoires before antigenic challenge. Previously described influences of B cells and/or antibodies on the T-helper (Th) cell compartment would appear to operate at the level of clonal repertoires by complementarities with defined immunoglobulin idiotypes. Other authors, however, had previously shown the striking stability of T-cell idiotype expression in chimaeric animals reconstituted with T and B cells originating from donors showing differential idiotype expression. We have now investigated this apparent discrepancy and present here results demonstrating that immunoglobulin-dependent selection of T-cell (idiotypic) repertoires only operates for the first 3 weeks of life.     

Cytotoxic T-cell clones discriminate between A- and B-type Epstein-Barr virus transformants

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the aetiological agent of infectious mononucleosis and is associated with Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The virus is harboured for life in all previously infected individuals and is apparently controlled by a population of EBV-specific memory T lymphocytes, specifically activated to recognize the functionally defined lymphocyte-detected membrane antigen. Two types (A and B) of EBV have been identified that show DNA sequence divergence within the BamH1 WYH region of the genome encoding the transformation-associated antigen, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA 2) (ref. 4). To define the function of EBNA 2 in T-cell recognition, we have compared the ability of EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell clones to distinguish between autologous B lymphocytes transformed by A- or B-type virus. We have now isolated both CD4 and CD8 cytotoxic T-cell clones that recognize autologous A-type but not B-type transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines, thus providing the first evidence that EBV-specific T-cell recognition can be mediated by EBNA 2. As this antigen is not expressed in Burkitt's lymphoma, this finding explains the failure of EBV-specific T-cell surveillance to eliminate the tumour.     

Essential requirement for major histocompatibility complex recognition in T-cell tolerance induction

The induction of T-cell responses involves the recognition of extrinsic antigen in association with antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), in mice and man, with different T cells recognizing antigen in association with either class I (H-2K/D, HLA-A, B, C) or class II (Ia, HLA-D/DR) MHC antigens. However, the requirement of MHC recognition in the induction of immunological tolerance remains ill defined. With human T helper clones recognizing synthetic peptides of influenza haemagglutinin (HA-1), we have investigated the nature of antigen-induced stimulation, and antigen-induced antigen-specific unresponsiveness, immunological tolerance. Tolerance is not due to cell death, as the cells remain responsive to interleukin-2 and is associated with the loss of T3 antigen from the cell surface. Using monoclonal antibodies to the non-polymorphic regions of human class II antigens to inhibit the induction of T-cell tolerance we report here that induction of tolerance requires the recognition of MHC antigens.     

Killing of antigen-reactive B cells by class II-restricted, soluble antigen-specific CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes

Cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are generally thought to recognize cellular antigens presented by class I MHC molecules. A number of studies, however, have revealed responses of considerable magnitude involving both CD8+ and CD4+ CTLs with class II restriction, suggesting that class II-restricted CTLs recognizing exogeneous protein antigens may exist. As class II antigens are normally expressed on limited types of cells such as B cells and macrophages, such CTLs might be expected to exert a suppressive effect on antibody responses. Here we report that stimulation of mouse lymphocytes with a soluble antigen induced CD8+ and CD4+ CTLs specific for the antigen with class II restriction. The specific lysis was far more efficient when target B cells specifically recognized the antigen than when they did not, indicating that the primary targets for these CTLs are probably B cells expressing immunoglobulin receptors reactive for the same antigen molecule. These results suggest that the natural occurrence of such CTLs during immune responses may explain antigen-specific suppression on antibody responses by T cells.     

A monoclonal antibody against antigen-specific helper factor augments T-cell help

Antigen-specific molecules, commonly termed 'factors', have been shown to be released from helper and suppressor T cells. These factors mimic the activity of the cells that secrete them and there is much speculation about the relationship of antigen-specific factors to T-cell receptors for antigen. We have raised a variety of antisera in rabbits which were shown to react against conserved 'constant' determinants on either helper or suppressor factors independently of antigenic specificity or mouse strain of origin of the factor. In contrast, syngeneic mouse antisera were found to react with 'variable' factor determinants in an antigen-specific and mouse strain-dependent manner. These antisera thus define two regions on factor molecules, one 'variable' (related to antigen specificity) and the other 'constant' (related to function). However, potential contaminants in these antisera have limited their usefulness. Thus, we are now generating monoclonal antibodies against T-cell factors and report here the properties of a monoclonal antibody (AF3.44.4) which reacts with antigen-specific helper factors. This antibody also binds to helper T cells and, in the presence of antigen, augments helper cell induction in vitro, which, in turn, leads to enhanced antibody production in vitro. These characteristics suggest that AF3.44.4 recognizes a determinant shared by helper factor and the antigen receptor on helper T cells.     

Evidence for the T3-associated 90K heterodimer as the T-cell antigen receptor

Several surface molecules appear to be involved in antigen recognition by human T lymphocytes including the monomorphic 20/25K T3 structure present on all mature T lymphocytes and the subset-specific associative recognition elements, T4 and T8 (refs 1-8). More recently, Ti1, a clonally unique antigen recognition structure comprised of a 49,000 molecular weight (49K) alpha-chain and a 43K beta-chain, linked to T3 was identified on a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I specific T8+ T-cell clone, CT8III (ref. 9). To determine whether analogous receptor molecules could be found on other T-cell clones of differing specificity, we produced monoclonal antibodies against a clonal structure (Ti2) on an MHC class II specific T4+ lymphocyte, CT4II, derived from the same donor as CT8III. The Ti2 structure on CT4II is shown here to be a disulphide-linked heterodimer like Ti1 on CT8III and is composed of subunits of similar molecular weight. Monoclonal antibodies against Ti2 or Ti1 block antigen specific functions of the respective clone without showing any cross-reactivity. These findings suggest that each T lymphocyte, regardless of subset derivation or specificity, uses an analogous Ti heterodimer for antigen specific function. The latter is linked to T3 and expressed on the cell surface at an identical density (30,000-40,000 sites per cell).     

A soluble CD4 protein selectively inhibits HIV replication and syncytium formation

The CD4 (T4) molecule is expressed on a subset of T lymphocytes involved in class II MHC recognition, and is probably the physiological receptor for one or more monomorphic regions of class II MHC (refs 1-3). CD4 also functions as a receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exterior envelope glycoprotein (gp120) (refs 4-9), being essential for virus entry into the host cell and for membrane fusion, which contributes to cell-to-cell transmission of the virus and to its cytopathic effects. We have used a baculovirus expression system to generate mg quantities of a hydrophilic extracellular segment of CD4. Concentrations of soluble CD4 in the nanomolar range, like certain anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies, inhibit syncytium formation and HIV infection by binding gp120-expressing cells. Perhaps more importantly, class II specific T-cell interactions are uninhibited by soluble CD4 protein, whereas they are virtually abrogated by equivalent amounts of anti-T4 antibody. This may reflect substantial differences in CD4 affinity for gp120 and class II MHC.