The immunobiology of T cell responses to Mls-locus-disparate stimulator cells. II. Effects of Mls-locus-disparate stimulator cells on cloned, protein antigen-specific, Ia-restricted T cell lines

Cloned, protein antigen-specific, Ia-restricted T cell lines frequently (approximately 20%) also respond strongly to stimulator cells from strains expressing stimulatory alleles at the chromosome 1-encoded Mls-locus. Furthermore, such responses are blocked by monoclonal antibodies specific for Ia antigens expressed by the stimulator rather than the responder cells. However, such responses show no specificity for polymorphic determinants on Ia molecules, although in such responses, as in primary and secondary T cell responses to stimulating Mls-locus alleles, I-E molecules appear to play a central role. These results, combined with the unique immunobiology of the primary T cell proliferative response to Mls-locus-disparate stimulator cells, suggest to us that this response involves the interaction of the receptor on T cells for antigen:self Ia with a relatively nonpolymorphic region of Ia glycoproteins. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that a monoclonal antibody to the T cell receptor will inhibit both responses, although the response to Mls-locus-disparate stimulators appears to be more sensitive to these antibodies. We propose that the interaction of the T cell receptor with Ia is stabilized by a cell interaction molecule encoded or regulated by the Mls-locus gene product permitting the T cell receptor:Ia glycoprotein interaction to lead to T cell activation.     

Antigen presentation by interferon-gamma-treated endothelial cells and fibroblasts: differential ability to function as antigen-presenting cells despite comparable Ia expression

The effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on endothelial cell (EC) and fibroblast (FB) class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene product expression and antigen presenting ability was examined. Control FB did not express class II MHC gene products, whereas a small (less than 1%) population of passaged EC expressed class II gene products. IFN-gamma induced a comparable density of HLA-DR expression on nearly all EC and FB. IFN-gamma-treated EC and FB also expressed HLA-DP but at a lower density, whereas HLA-DQ expression was barely detectable on either cell type. Control FB were not able to stimulate allogeneic T4 cell DNA synthesis or function as antigen-presenting cells (APC). Control EC were also unable to stimulate allogeneic T4 cell DNA synthesis unless large numbers of stimulator cells were used. Small numbers of IFN-gamma-treated EC were able to stimulate allogeneic T4 cell DNA synthesis, whereas larger numbers were markedly more effective than control EC. In contrast, IFN-gamma-treated FB were ineffective stimulators of allogeneic T4 cell DNA synthesis. IFN-gamma-treated FB were able to present the exogenous antigen SKSD to autologous but not allogeneic T4 cells, but they were extremely inefficient APC. The inability of IFN-gamma-treated FB to function as APC could not be explained by FB-mediated immunosuppression, Ia density, or HLA-DQ expression. This limited capacity of IFN-gamma-treated FB to participate in Ia-restricted functional interactions with T4 cells correlated with a similar diminished capacity to support nonspecific mitogen-induced proliferation of T4 cells before IFN-gamma-induced Ia expression. This accessory cell function was not enhanced by IFN-gamma treatment. Monocytes syngeneic to the responding T4 cells but not interleukin 1 (IL 1) permitted IFN-gamma-treated FB but not control FB to stimulate allogeneic T4 cell DNA synthesis, but they remained markedly less effective stimulators than monocytes. Moreover, IFN-gamma-treated FB were effective stimulators of alloprimed T4 cells, in contrast to their inability to stimulate fresh T4 cells. Furthermore, monocytes and IFN-gamma-treated FB were comparably effective stimulators of alloreactive T cell lines. These data suggest that accessory cells perform functions unrelated to Ia and IL 1 that are necessary for mitogen-, alloantigen-, and antigen-induced proliferation of freshly isolated T cells. Monocytes and EC effectively perform this function, but FB do not. This accessory cell function does not seem to be as important for the activation of primed T cells.     

Interleukin 4 enhances the ability of antigen-specific B cells to form conjugates with T cells

T cell-B cell conjugates are formed when trinitrophenyl-specific B cells are exposed to trinitrophenyl-ovalbumin and ovalbumin-specific T hybridoma cells. The proportion of conjugates was increased two- to threefold when antigen-pulsed trinitrophenyl-specific B cells, but not T cells, were pre-exposed to interleukin 4. Antigen-specific B cells pretreated with antigen and interleukin 4 and cultured in the presence of specific T helper cells also produced a larger proportion of antibody-secreting cells as compared to cells pretreated with antigen alone. The interleukin 4-induced enhancement of T/B conjugate formation occurred over a wide range of antigen concentrations, was dependent on the concentration of interleukin 4, and was inhibited by the monoclonal anti-interleukin 4 antibody, 11B11. The importance of Ia antigens in the enhancement of conjugate formation and generation of antibody-secreting cells is suggested by a) the fact that the interleukin 4-mediated increase in the density of Ia antigens on the antigen-specific B cells correlated with their enhanced ability to form T/B conjugates, b) the kinetics of the interleukin 4-mediated increase in conjugate formation and surface Ia expression were similar, c) 10- to 20-fold higher concentrations of anti-I-A antibody were required to inhibit T/B conjugate formation by 50% with interleukin 4-treated antigen-specific B cells compared with untreated antigen-specific B cells, and d) interferon-gamma, which inhibits the interleukin 4-mediated increase in Ia antigens, inhibited the interleukin 4-induced enhancement of T/B conjugate formation. These results indicate that the interleukin 4-induced increase in the expression of Ia antigens on B cells plays an important role in the enhancement of T/B cell interactions and the subsequent differentiation of antigen-specific B cells into antibody-secreting cells.     

Autologous B lymphoblastoid cell lines and long-term cultured T cells as stimulators in the mixed lymphocyte reaction: analysis of the role of HLA class II antigens as stimulatory molecules

Human activated T cells, long-term cultured in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL 2), were compared with autologous Epstein Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines for expression of human leukocyte (HLA)-HLA-DR and -DQ antigens and for ability to induce proliferative responses in autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes. Immunofluorescence analysis performed with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) specific for HLA-DR or -DQ antigens did not reveal any significant difference in the expression of HLA-DR antigens but revealed reduced expression of HLA-DQ antigens on two out of four T cell lines tested. No obvious difference could be detected in the two-dimensional gel electrophoretic profile of HLA-DR and -DQ beta-chains synthesized by the autologous pairs of B and T cell lines. In contrast with previous reports, the IL 2-dependent cell lines consistently induced alloproliferative responses in standard 6-day mixed lymphocyte cultures; however, these responses were severalfold lower than those elicited by the autologous B lymphoid lines. Both anti-HLA-DR and anti-HLA-DQ mAb blocked the proliferative responses induced by the B cell lines but did not affect those generated by the T cell lines, suggesting that the latter cells induce T lymphocyte activation via a mechanism independent of HLA-DR or -DQ antigen expression on their surface. Addition of IL 2 to the mixed cultures with B cell lines as stimulators did not affect the outcome of the proliferative responses but partially or completely reversed the blocking activity of the mAb. In contrast, IL 2 significantly enhanced the alloproliferation induced by the T lymphoblastoid cell lines, and the anti-HLA class II mAb partially antagonized this effect. Taken together, these data suggest that unlike the HLA-DR and -DQ gene products on B cells, those on IL 2-dependent long-term cultured T cells do not play a direct or primary stimulatory role in the mixed lymphocyte reaction; the reduced levels of alloproliferation induced by the T cell lines are, at least in part, due to a defective production of endogenous IL 2 by the responder lymphocytes rather than to a defective expression of IL 2 receptors by the alloproliferative T cell subset; and the anti-HLA class II mAb in these cultures act only at the responder cell level, since they can efficiently block the enhancement of T cell proliferation triggered by exogenous IL 2, but not the proliferative responses induced by T cell lines in standard conditions.     

The ability of cultured Langerhans cells to process and present protein antigens is MHC-dependent.

There is controversy regarding the ability of short term (2 to 3 days) cultured epidermal Langerhans cells (cLC) to process and present intact protein Ag to primed T cells. Some studies have shown that cLC are potent APC for both haptens and intact protein Ag, whereas in others cLC have been unable to process and present intact protein Ag. In an attempt to resolve this controversy, we tested the ability of Langerhans cells from several strains of mice to process and present intact protein Ag to T cell clones and T cell hybridomas. We found that both cLC and freshly prepared Langerhans cells from various Iak mice, including BALB.k mice, process and present intact protein antigens (i.e., hen egg lysozyme, cytochrome c, and OVA) to T cells. These functions are retained in cLC cultured for 7 days. In contrast, cLC from Iad mice do not process intact protein Ag, such as hen egg lysozyme and myoglobin, although they can present relevant peptides to specific T cells and are potent stimulators of allogeneic responses. Furthermore, cLC from (Iak x Iad)F1 mice process and present intact protein Ag to Iak-restricted T cells, but not to Iad-restricted T cells. Although cLC that processed and presented intact protein Ag to T cells exhibited enhanced class II MHC expression, they were, on a per cell basis, somewhat less efficient than were fresh Langerhans cells. Finally, we found that if Iad Langerhans cells are pulsed with intact protein Ag and then cultured for 3 days, they are then fully capable of inducing Ag- and MHC-specific T cell proliferation.     

Interleukin 2 receptors on cultured murine epidermal Langerhans cells

Rat monoclonal antibodies 3C7 and 7D4 detect two distinct functional regions of the murine interleukin 2 (IL 2) receptor. When studying the emergence kinetics of IL 2 receptors in mixed epidermal cell (EC)-lymphocyte cultures by using 3C7 and 7D4 in an indirect immunofluorescence assay, we regularly encountered a distinctive membrane fluorescence not only on lymphocytes, but also on a subpopulation of cells exhibiting a dendritic morphology. Reasoning that these 3C7/7D4-reactive dendritic cells might represent a subpopulation of epidermal dendritic cells, we studied mouse EC for the presence of 3C7/7D4- reactive cells. Although 3C7/7D4 reactivity was never detected on freshly isolated EC or on epidermal sheets, a small number of 3C7/7D4+ cells was encountered after 24 to 48 hr of culture. These cells exhibited a dendritic shape, expressed Ia antigens, lacked Thy-1 antigens, and displayed the ultrastructural features of Langerhans cells (LC) with the notable exception of Birbeck granules. Although after 24 hr, only 20% of Ia+ EC were 3C7/7D4+, the vast majority of LC displayed 3C7/7D4 binding sites after 4 to 5 days of culture. Preincubation of cultured LC-enriched EC with recombinant human IL 2 prevented subsequent 3C7-but not 7D4-binding to these cells. Western blot analysis of 7D4-reactive material of detergent extracts from LC-enriched EC revealed three bands in the same m.w. range as reported for CTLL cells. These results demonstrate that cultured LC express IL 2 receptors and may bear important implications for a better understanding of growth regulation, differentiation, and immunologic functions of LC.     

Thy-1+ epidermal cells proliferate in response to concanavalin A and interleukin 2

Mouse epidermal cells (EC) are composed of at least two phenotypically discrete populations of cells that in epidermal sheets have a dendritic morphology: Ia+ Langerhans cells (LC) and dendritic, bone marrow-derived, Ia- cells that express Thy-1 antigen (Thy-1+ dEC). Thy-1+ dEC lack other typical T cell markers such as L3T4, Lyt-1, and Lyt-2; however they do express Ly-5 and asialo GM1 in common with NK cells and certain other leukocytes. To investigate the functional capabilities of Thy-1+ dEC in vitro, cell suspensions prepared from trypsin-disaggregated sheets of mouse body wall epidermis were first enriched to 8 to 20% Ia+ and 20 to 40% Thy-1+ cells by centrifugation over Isolymph and then were cultured for 2 to 10 days with Concanavalin A (Con A) and/or partially purified rat IL 2. Con A-induced proliferation of EC was readily seen, with the maximal response occurring at a Con A concentration of 2.5 micrograms/ml on day 5 of culture. Con A responses were significantly enhanced by the continuous presence of 1 microgram/ml indomethacin. Responses both in the presence and absence of Con A were significantly enhanced by the addition of 5 to 10 U/ml of partially purified rat IL 2; proliferation in cultures stimulated by both Con A and IL 2 continued to increase throughout the 10-day culture period. Culture of fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS)-separated EC suspensions revealed that Thy-1-depleted EC and irradiated Thy-1+ EC failed to proliferate in response to Con A and IL 2, whereas unirradiated purified Thy-1+ EC gave enhanced Con A- and IL 2-induced responses compared with the unseparated population. Finally, to distinguish between the proliferation of small numbers of mature peripheral T cells and that of Thy-1+ dEC, antibody and complement-depletion studies were conducted with an unusual monoclonal anti-Thy-1 reagent, 20-10-5S, and with the anti-T cell reagents, anti-L3T4 and anti-Lyt-2. Thy-1+ dEC, but not LC, express the 20-10-5S determinant; furthermore, in CBA (Thy-1.2) mice 20-10-5S reacts with Thy-1+ dEC, thymocytes, and peripheral T cells, whereas in AKR/J (Thy-1.1) mice, it reacts only with Thy-1+ dEC and thymocytes and not with peripheral T cells. Pretreatment of AKR/J EC with 20-10-5S and complement abolished the capacity of such cells to respond to Con A and to IL 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The effect of cyclosporine on epidermal cells. I. Cyclosporine inhibits accessory cell functions of epidermal Langerhans cells in vitro

Although the precise mechanism of action of cyclosporine (CS) is unknown, there is substantial evidence that CS preferentially acts on T cells by impairing lymphokine production. Recent studies have demonstrated that CS may also inhibit the functions of accessory cells and APC. Since topically applied CS inhibits contact sensitivity and epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) are very effective accessory cells and APC, we determined whether CS directly affects their accessory cell functions. Murine LC were pulsed with solvent control or with various doses of CS (up to 10 micrograms/ml) and then Con A-induced T cell proliferation was assayed. CS pulsing of LC caused, when compared with solvent control-pulsed LC, a dose-dependent decrease in T cell stimulation (up to 93%). LC fixed with paraformaldehyde after 2-h CS pulsing showed a similar degree of decreased accessory cell function, indicating that the immunosuppressive action is established by 2 h. The inhibitory capacity of CS pulsing on LC is not likely to be related to diminished IL-1 production, enhanced PG biosynthesis, or decreased surface Ia Ag intensity. The possibility of carryover of CS into the culture supernatants was ruled out by adding CS-pulsed LC or their supernatants to other T cell proliferative assays. Thus, these studies indicate that CS directly inhibits accessory cell functions of LC.     

Phenotypic and functional characteristics of in vivo-activated Langerhans cells

After short term culture (2 to 3 days), Langerhans cells (LC) exhibit increased class II MHC Ag and become more potent APC than freshly obtained LC in primary allogeneic and syngeneic T cell activation. To determine whether in vivo LC undergo changes similar to cultured LC, we examined the phenotypic and functional characteristics of LC harvested from ear skin of naive mice painted with various haptens and primary irritants. At 24 h after application of 3% trinitrochlorobenzene, LC appear larger and exhibit more intense staining in epidermal sheets using anti-I-A antibodies, and there was a two- to threefold increase in I-A and I-E expression by LC using flow microfluorimetry analysis. CD45 Ag expression was not altered. Flow microfluorimetry profiles showed the presence of two different LC populations based on fluorescence intensity, i.e., one with the same Ia density as nontreated LC and the other (representing 22 to 50% of all LC) with a markedly enhanced Ia density, (i.e., a 10-fold increase in I-A and I-E). This phenotypic change was observed only with haptens, such as trinitrochlorobenzene, dinitrofluorobenzene, oxazolone, and cinnamic aldehyde. In contrast, application of 10 to 30% sodium lauryl sulfate or vehicle controls did not induce this change. Functionally, LC obtained from hapten-painted mice induced a two- to fivefold increase in 3[H]-TdR incorporation by syngeneic or allogeneic T cells, compared to equal numbers of LC from nontreated or vehicle-treated or sodium lauryl sulfate-treated mice. These phenotypic and functional changes that occur in vivo are therefore analogous to those seen when LC are cultured for short periods of time. Thus, activated LC appear in vivo in response to the epicutaneous application of haptens and may represent an essential step in hapten-specific sensitization.     

Induction of interleukin 3 but not interleukin 2 or interferon production in the syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction

The syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (SMLR) was assayed in the medium containing syngeneic normal mouse serum (NMS), by using nylon-adherent stimulator cells and nonadherent responder T cells, which were prepared from murine spleens in the absence of fetal calf serum (FCS) to avoid any sensitization to xenogeneic protein antigens. The responder cells in this SMLR, without definite background proliferation, generated specific proliferative response to the syngeneic stimulator cells in a dose-related fashion. The SMLR was accompanied by production of interleukin 3 (IL 3) but not interleukin 2 (IL 2) or interferon (IFN). No cytotoxicity against the syngeneic or allogeneic target cells was induced. Correlating with no production of IL 2 or IFN, no natural killer (NK) activity was detected. The proliferation was not inhibited by addition of specific antiserum for IFN-gamma. In contrast, proliferation in the responder cells when incubated with allogeneic stimulator cells was inhibited by anti-IFN-gamma serum and accompanied by production of IL 2 and IFN as well as IL 3, and by augmentation of NK activity and generation of cytotoxic T cells. Cell surface analysis revealed that the cells producing IL 3 in this SMLR system were Thy-1+ Lyt-1+2- helper T cells. Cells responding to the SMLR culture fluids with DNA replication were Thy-1-Lyt-1-2- asialo GM1- no-marker cells, which were the same as a population responsible for partially purified IL 3. On the other hand, when the responder cells were exposed to FCS before culture and assayed for SMLR in the FCS-free NMS medium, variable levels of IL 2 production were induced in response to the stimulator cells. The responder cells generated a high background DNA replication in the absence of syngeneic stimulators, suggesting that this IL 2 production may result from the stimulation of T cells by FCS as a foreign antigen. Overall, these results suggest that the SMLR may be a cellular interaction, in which non-T cells stimulate Lyt-1+2- helper T cells to produce IL 3 but not IL 2 or IFN. This IL 3 can, in turn, induce proliferation of IL 3 responding cells, which appear to be early precursors in lymphocyte differentiation, but no proliferative response or activation of IL 2- and IFN-dependent mature T cells or NK cells.     

Inhibition of epidermal Langerhans cell function by low dose ultraviolet B radiation. Ultraviolet B radiation selectively modulates ICAM-1 (CD54) expression by murine Langerhans cells.

Immunosuppressive effects of low levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation on cutaneous immune responses have been attributed to deleterious effects of UVB radiation on epidermal Langerhans cells (LC). To determine how UVB radiation modulates LC function we examined the effect of in vitro UVB exposure on LC accessory cell activity and surface phenotype. Exposure of BALB/c murine epidermal cells to low dose (less than or equal to 200 J/m2) UVB radiation in vitro inhibited their ability to support the mitogenic response of unstimulated, accessory cell-depleted splenic T cells to anti-CD3 mAb. LC accessory cell activity was also inhibited when LC were exposed to UVB radiation in situ, although several-fold higher doses of UVB radiation were required to achieve complete inhibition of LC function. This dose-dependent inhibition was mediated through a direct effect on LC that could not be reversed by IL-1 or IL-6 alone or in combination, or granulocyte-macrophage-CSF. TNF-alpha did not inhibit LC accessory cell function in this assay and anti-TNF-alpha neutralizing antibodies did not reverse the inhibitory effects of UVB radiation. UVB irradiated LC failed to participate in the anti-CD3-dependent clustering that normally occurs between T cells and LC during the proliferative response of murine T cells to anti-CD3 mAb, suggesting that UV radiation may interfere with accessory cell function by preventing intercellular adhesion. Two-color flow cytometric studies revealed low levels of the ICAM-1 on freshly isolated LC and some keratinocytes. ICAM-1 expression on LC increased 15 to 20-fold within the first 24 h in vitro and continued to increase during a 72-h culture period. The integrin LFA-1 was not identified on freshly isolated or cultured LC but was detected on responding T cells. Prior exposure of LC to UVB radiation (50 or 100 J/m2) inhibited the increase in ICAM-1 expression that normally occurs in vitro by up to 70% whereas surface levels of class II MHC Ag, CD45 and Fc-gamma receptors were not affected. Blocking studies revealed that anti-CD3 induced T cell proliferation and T cell-LC cluster formation was inhibited by both anti-LFA-1 and anti-ICAM-1 mAb suggesting that ICAM-1 expressed on LC must bind to LFA-1 on T cells to facilitate proliferative responses of T cells to anti-CD3 mAb. We conclude that the in vitro inhibitory effects of low dose UVB radiation on LC accessory function may result because UVB radiation prevents upregulation of ICAM-1 expression by LC in culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Lymphocyte responses to syngeneic antigens. I. Enhancement of the murine autologous mixed lymphocyte response by polyethylene glycol

The normally weak murine T-cell proliferative response against autologous non-T stimulator cells (the autologous mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) was enhanced markedly by inclusion of the hydrophilic polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG), into the culture medium. Potentiation of the autologous MLC was indicated on the basis of increased [³H]TdR incorporation by responding cells, as well as by the numbers of viable cells recovered from mixed cell cultures. PEG is not a polyclonal activator of T and/or B lymphocytes, since nylon wool nonadherent lymphoid cells (T cell-enriched fraction), nylon wool adherent cells (B cell-enriched fraction) and T cell-deficient “nude” spleen cells were not stimulated into DNA synthesis when cultured separately with PEG. Inclusion of 4% PEG into the culture medium was found to optimally enhance autologous MLC, although concentrations between 2 and 5% also significantly elevated responsiveness. At a responder/stimulator ratio of 1:2, autologous MLC yielded peak [³H]TdR incorporation after 5 days of culture. At lower ratios (1:1 and 2:1), however, Δ cpm of autologous MLC continued to increase over a culture period of 7 days. Enhanced responsiveness in the presence of PEG was observed in strains of mice representing a variety of H-2 haplotypes, indicating that at least the potential for autoreactivity of this type is a naturally occurring and widespread characteristic of murine species. An absolute requirement for purified T responder cells was necessary in the autologous MLC, since unseparated lymphoid cell responder LN or spleen cells demonstrated marked proliferation when cultured alone in medium containing PEG. The proliferation of T cells to autologous non-T cells within the same unseparated lymphoid cell preparation appears to be responsible for this phenomenon. Ia antigens expressed by the stimulator cells are involved in the induction of T-cell response, since anti-Ia sera added directly to the cultures inhibited the autologous MLC, but did not affect other T-cell responses to alloantigens or mitogens. Despite the marked proliferation observed in the autologous MLC performed in the presence of PEG, there was no generation of cytotoxic effector cells. Thus, PEG does not appear to add, or alter determinants on stimulator cells to an extent that they are recognized as foreign by precursor cytotoxic T cells. Although the mechanism of enhancement of autologous MLC by PEG is not totally defined, it appears, at least functionally, to promote cellular interactions that occur normally between T cells, B cells, and macrophages. In this respect, PEG will be a powerful and useful probe to dissect the cellular interactions that take place in autologous responses.     

Modulation of Ia-like antigen expression and antigen-presenting activity of human monocytes by endotoxin and zymosan A

The environmental agents E. coli endotoxin and zymosan A modulated antigen-specific T cell proliferation in vitro, assessed by 3H-TdR uptake. In the continual presence of these agents, human mononuclear leukocyte responses to the antigens tuberculin PPD, Candida albicans, and mumps were significantly reduced. Treatment of adherent cell-depleted T cells with the agents did not affect their subsequent reactivity to soluble antigens in the presence of normal M phi. However, cultures consisting of pretreated M phi, normal T cells, and soluble antigen gave responses that were only 7 to 38% of control values, indicating that the function of the antigen-presenting cell, not the T cell, was inhibited. This effect was observed only when treatment with endotoxin or zymosan A preceded antigen stimulation by at least 24 hr, suggesting that a gradual inhibition of antigen presentation had occurred. When various ratios of normal antigen-pulsed and agent-treated M phi were cultured with normal T cells, antigen-specific responses were not significantly different from control cultures; this indicated that M phi-mediated suppression was not involved. It did not appear that the inhibition was due to enhanced antigen degradation by the treated M phi because responses were not reconstituted in the presence of excess antigen. After endotoxin or zymosan A treatment of the M phi population the proportion of Ia+ cells was reduced significantly, and surface expression of Ia antigen correlated with the ability of the cell population to present antigens to immune T cells. This suggested that endotoxin and zymosan A induce a loss of surface Ia antigen on antigen-presenting cells that inhibits immune T cell activation.     

Liver sinusoidal lining cells express class II major histocompatibility antigens but are poor stimulators of fresh allogeneic T lymphocytes

Guinea pig liver sinusoidal lining cells (LSLC), a mixture of Kupffer cells (KC) and sinusoidal endothelial cells (EC), were examined for their capacity to function as antigen-presenting cells (APC). LSLC were extremely poor stimulators of freshly isolated allogeneic T lymphocytes even though a large number of them expressed class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens (Ia). This deficiency could not be explained by a lack of soluble factor production by LSLC, because an interleukin 1-containing macrophage (M phi) supernatant could not restore the capacity of LSLC to stimulate allogeneic T cells. Moreover, LSLC were able to promote mitogen-induced proliferation of accessory cell-depleted T lymphocytes. No evidence of suppression was apparent in experiments in which LSLC were added to cultures of T cells stimulated by allogeneic peritoneal exudate M phi (PEM). The Ia expressed by LSLC was functional because they were able to stimulate an alloreactive T cell line. When LSLC were mixed and co-cultured with either PEM syngeneic to the responding lymphocytes or Ia-negative fibroblasts, the allostimulatory ability of LSLC was greatly augmented. In contrast, the addition of mitogen-activated T cell supernatants had only a minimal effect on the capacity of LSLC to stimulate allogeneic T cells. The data suggest that LSLC lack a biologic property that is necessary for recognition of class II MHC determinants by fresh but not primed allogeneic T cells and that is not required to support T cell activation induced by nonspecific mitogenic lectins. These findings may be important in understanding the reason that antigen introduced into the portal blood appears not to initiate an immune response.     

Cellular requirements for induction of human primary proliferative responses to trinitrophenyl-modified cells

Cellular requirements for induction of primary proliferative responses by human T cells to trinitrophenylated autologous stimulators have been characterized. Substantial proliferative responses were observed with each of the Ia+ stimulator populations tested. Nevertheless, major differences in the hapten specificity of such responses were observed. Thus purified macrophages/monocytes (M phi) when TNP-modified induced responses that were relatively modest in absolute magnitude, but were highly hapten specific. This reflected the very limited capacity of purified M phi to induce proliferation when unmodified, i.e., an autologous mixed leukocyte response (AMLR). In contrast, unmodified M phi-depleted B plus null cells were potent stimulators of AMLR, but hapten modification did not significantly enhance the responses induced by these cells. Moreover, when M phi were added to B plus null cell stimulators AMLR responses were reduced and, with TNP-modified stimulators, hapten-specific responses were restored. The data thus suggest that M phi may have important roles in induction of primary T cell responses to conventional antigens but function largely as regulators rather than stimulators of AMLR. Finally, we have introduced a novel antigen-presenting cell population, the irradiated Ia+ TNP-specific cloned T cell. The possibility that such cells may utilize autostimulatory positive feedback circuits for activation of naive T cells and in interactions between subpopulations of hapten-reactive T cells is discussed.     

Epidermal cells as accessory cells in the generation of allo-reactive and hapten-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses

The capacity of epidermal cells (EC) to stimulate T cell activation is a Langerhans cell (LC)-dependent phenomenon. In all in vitro assays probed, LC subserve antigen-presenting cell functions in that they display surface-bound foreign or altered-self structures and thereby activate T cell responses. In contrast, attempts to demonstrate accessory cell (ACC) function of LC-containing EC have yielded negative results, i.e., EC lacking foreign cell surface antigens were not able to restore cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses in Ia+ adherent cell-depleted cultures. Reasoning that the ACC function of EC might be critically linked to cluster formation between LC and other cell types involved, we tested the ACC function of EC under experimental conditions that allow a close physical contact between the cell types involved (round-bottomed microtiter plates and brief centrifugation of culture plates). By using these modifications, the failure of highly purified B6 T cells to develop alloreactive CTL activity when stimulated with either highly purified, mitomycin C-treated C3H or B6CF1 T cells was restored by the addition of B6 EC. The CTL thus generated produced significant lysis of Con-A-stimulated C3H or BALB/c, but not B6, spleen cell targets. In a similar fashion, TNP- or FITC-specific CTL were generated when (in a syngeneic system) mitomycin C-treated TNP- or FITC-modified stimulator T cells and responder T cells were co-cultured in the presence, but not in the absence, of unmodified EC. The capacity of EC to restore CTL activity in a culture system depleted of Ia-bearing cells was not dependent upon their H-2 type, but was critically linked to the presence of Ia-bearing LC. We therefore conclude that LC-containing EC can subserve the ACC function in the generation of H-2-restricted CTL, provided that culture conditions are chosen that allow a close physical contact between the cell types involved.     

Activated human T cells can present alloantigens but cannot present soluble antigens

Human T cells, when activated by antigen or mitogen, express Ia antigens. We have examined the capacity of activated T cells to stimulate autologous and allogeneic T cells and their ability to present soluble antigen. Interleukin 2-dependent T-cell lines (TCL), free of accessory cells, were used for antigen-presenting cells. These activated T cells were potent stimulators in an autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR), more so than autologous irradiated non-T mononuclear cells. Activated T cells were also able to stimulate proliferation of allogeneic T cells in the absence of any other accessory cells, and this stimulation was blocked by anti-Ia antibodies. Resting unstimulated T cells were unable to stimulate autologous or allogeneic responses. Thus, activated T cells were able to present self antigens and alloantigens. However, activated T cells could not present soluble antigens to autologous T cells or to antigen-specific TCL even if exogenous interleukin 1 was added to cultures. The ability of activated T cells to stimulate an AMLR in vitro may reflect an important immunologic amplification mechanism in vivo. The ability of activated T cells to present alloantigens but not soluble antigens suggests an inability to process antigen, and this may provide further insights into the complexities of antigen presentation.     

Freshly isolated spleen dendritic cells and epidermal Langerhans cells undergo similar phenotypic and functional changes during short-term culture

Spleen dendritic cells (DC) and epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) belong to the same family of dendritic leukocytes and are considered to be prototypes of lymphoid DC and nonlymphoid DC, respectively. These cells are active APC in vitro and play a key role in the induction of primary T cell dependent immune responses in vivo. Two functional states of LC have been characterized in vitro, freshly isolated LC and cultured LC (cLC). That cLC closely resemble spleen DC in phenotype and function, has led to the hypothesis that LC undergo maturation toward DC while in culture, an event that has been correlated with the emigration of LC from skin into lymphoid organs. To date, however, DC have been studied only after overnight culture. To better understand the relationship between LC and DC, we examined DC shortly after their isolation from spleen, and after 24 h of culture. Freshly isolated DC (fDC) express high levels of MHC molecules and low levels of Fc gamma RII and C3biR; fDC also uniformly express the Ag recognized by the mAb 33D1, NLDC-145, and J11d. After culture, DC display a marked increase in the expression of MHC molecules, and they are induced to express the low affinity receptor for IL-2. By contrast, the expression of Fc gamma RII and F4/80 decreases with culture. With respect to function, fDC can efficiently present keyhole limpet hemocyanin to Ag-specific T cells, whereas cultured DC exhibit a marked reduction in this capacity. Finally, both fDC and cultured DC are capable of endocytosing surface Ia molecules, but only fDC are able to deliver them into acidic compartments. Our data indicate that fDC from spleen resemble freshly isolated LC from epidermis and that both cells undergo parallel changes during culture. These results suggest that LC and DC possess analogous attributes in vivo and respond similarly to external influences.     

Evaluation of Ia+ tumor cell lines and peritoneal exudate macrophages as accessory cells: differential requirements for the activation of certain T cell functions

Several Ia+ (BC3A, TA3, D1B) or Ia-inducible (WEHI-3, P388D1) tumor lines were tested for accessory cell function for the activation of antigen-specific T cell proliferation and for the induction of T helper cells that help B cells in antibody production. All lines were able to induce antigen-specific T cell proliferation in an MHC-restricted way, but none activated T helper cells to soluble antigens under all conditions tested. In comparison, starch-induced peritoneal exudate macrophages induced T cell proliferation as well as T cell help. Some of the lines tested induced nonspecific suppressor cells that were Ly-2-positive and partially or completely inhibited antibody responses. The induction of suppressor cells, however, is not the reason for the failure of the tumor lines to activate T helper cells. These data indicate that antigen-specific T cell proliferation and helper activity do not necessarily correlate.     

Hapten-specific T lymphocyte activation by glutaraldehyde-treated macrophages: an argument against antigen processing by macrophages.

In this communication the effects of glutaraldehyde treatment of trinitrophenyl-(TNP) modified macrophages on their ability to stimulate TNP-specific guinea pig T lymphocyte proliferation were studied. TNP-modified macrophages briefly treated with glutaraldehyde retained much of their ability to stimulate TNP-primed T cells. In contrast, similar treatment of allogeneic macrophages or soluble protein antigen-pulsed syngeneic macrophages completely eliminated their ability to stimulate a mixed leukocyte reaction or protein antigen-specific proliferation, respectively. TNP-modification did not appear to interfere with glutaraldehyde reactivity since macrophages treated with glutaraldehyde before or after TNP-modification stimulated equivalent T cell responses. However, glutaraldehyde treatment of TNP-modified macrophages that had been cultured overnight dramatically reduced their ability to stimulate TNP-specific T cells. Glutaraldehyde-treated TNP-modified macrophages also expressed the same genetic restrictions of T cell activation as untreated stimulators. Thus, T cells primed with syngeneic TNP-modified macrophages were restimulated only by glutaraldehyde-treated TNP-modified syngeneic, but not by allogeneic, macrophages. These results are discussed with respect to the nature of the TNP-specific immunogen recognized by T cells.