Role of L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ donor cells in graft-versus-host immune deficiency induced across a class I, class II, or whole H-2 difference

The i.v. injection of parental T cells into F1 hybrid mice can result in a graft-vs-host (GVH)-induced immune deficiency that is Ag nonspecific and of long duration. The effect of the GVH reaction (GVHR) on the host's immune system depends on the class of F1 MHC Ag recognized by the donor cells. To determine the role of different subsets of donor-derived T cells in the induction of GVHR, donor spleen cells were negatively selected by anti-T cell mAb and C, and the cells were injected into F1 mice that differed from the donor by both class I and II MHC Ag or by class I or class II MHC only. The induction of GVHR across class I + II differences was found to require both L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ parental cells. Induction of GVHR across a class II difference required only L3T4+ parental T cells in the combination tested [B6-into-(B6 x bm12)F1]. In contrast, B6 Lyt-2+ cells were sufficient to induce GVHR across a class I difference in (B6 x bm1)F1 recipients. In addition, a direct correlation was observed between the cell types required for GVH induction and the parental T cell phenotypes detected in the spleens of the GVH mice. The number of parental cells detected in the unirradiated F1 hosts was dependent upon the H-2 differences involved in the GVHR. Induction of a class I + class II GVHR resulted in abrogation of both TNP-self and allogeneic CTL responses. In contrast, induction of a class II GVHR resulted in only a selective loss of TNP-self but not of allogeneic CTL function. Unexpectedly, the induction of a class I GVHR also resulted in the selective loss of the TNP-self CTL response. Thus, these class I and class II examples of GVH both result in the selective abrogation of L3T4+ Th cell function. The data are discussed in terms of respective roles of killer cells and/or suppressor cells in the induction of host immune deficiency by a GVHR, and of the selective deficiency in host Th cell function induced by different classes of GVHR.     

Effects of the chromatographic fractions of the pig placental trophoblast on graft-versus-host reaction

The trophoblast has a significant role in regulation of immune reactions at the materno-fetal interface by producing biologically active substances. In our previous studies five fractions with immunomodulatory activities were isolated by gel chromatography from trophoblast of pig placentas. To confirm the immunomodulatory effect of these trophoblast fractions on allogeneic in vivo systems and to obtain more evidence for the relevance of their activity on the maternofetal interface, their effect was studied on graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR). To assess the GVHR, the primary and secondary popliteal lymph nodes assay was used in mice. In the primary GVHR, 100 microg protein of Fraction 2-5, mixed with 5 x 10(6) allogeneic spleen cells (C57BL/6), were injected into one of the foot pads of recipient (BALB/c) mice. The secondary GVHR was induced in F1 (BALB/c x C57BL/6) mice by injection of spleen cells of BALB/c mice intraperitoneally preimmunized with allogeneic cells. The GVHR was measured by the weight of lymph nodes and by the lymphocyte proliferation. Flow cytometric analyses of the cells in the nodes with GVHR and under the influence of Fraction 4 or 5 were performed using monoclonal antibodies. In the primary GVHR, Fraction 4 or 5, injected simultaneously with allogeneic spleen cells, significantly suppressed the lymph nodes reactivity. Fractions 4 and 5 inhibited the ability of the spleen cells of mice intraperitoneally preimmunized with allogeneic cells to induce secondary GVHR in F1 mice. The Fraction 2 and 3 had no effect on GVHR. The results revealed that a group of proteins with Mr 37-7 kDa, isolated from trophoblast of pig placenta, strongly suppressed popliteal lymph node reactivity in the primary and secondary GVHR. The data provide convincing evidence for these fractions in vivo activity, for their effect across the species barrier and suggest the relevance of the same reactions on the materno-fetal interface.     

Capability of lymphocytes, stimulated in vitro with phytohemagglutinins to accomplish the graft versus host reaction]

Lymph node cells from CBA mice cultivated in the presence of PHA for 2 hours proved to be more potent, and for 44 hours--less potent as compared with normal non-cultivated cells in their capacity to realize the GVHR after injection to sublethally irradiated (CBAXC57BL) F1 recipients. Syngeneic or killed allogeneic lymphocytes cultivated similarly and phytohemagglutinin were found to be deprived of this potency.     

Frequency analysis of lymphokine-secreting CD4+ and CD8+ T cells activated in a graft-versus-host reaction

Lymphokine secretion by in vivo-activated T cells was analyzed at the population and single-cell levels in lymphocytes from mice undergoing an acute allogeneic graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR). Three observations were made. First, constitutive lymphokine production by these cells was very low but could be dramatically up-regulated by TCR ligation. Thus, even when harvested at the peak of the GVHR, fewer than 0.1% of lymphocytes secreted detectable granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF, IFN-gamma, or IL-3 in the first 24 h in vitro, and average production of these lymphokines in bulk cultures was less than 10(-5) U/cell. However, when cultured for 24 h with anti-CD3 antibody under conditions which activated less than 0.1% of normal cells, about 30% of GVHR T cells secreted GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, and/or IL-3, and average production levels were increased by 10(3)- to 10(4)-fold. Together with evidence that host alloantigen-induced lymphokine secretion was 10 to 100 times lower than the anti-CD3 response, these data suggest that physiologic lymphokine synthesis by most T cells is low (less than 10(-18) mol of IL-3 per cell) but can be raised above the threshold of detection by TCR cross-linking. Second, individual GVHR lymphocytes varied markedly in their total and relative production of different lymphokines in response to anti-CD3 stimulation, with some cells secreting IL-3 alone, some secreting IL-3 accompanied by other lymphokines (GM-CSF and/or IFN-gamma), and some secreting other lymphokines without detectable IL-3. Finally, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from GVHR mice responded to anti-CD3 antibody by secreting IL-3 and other lymphokines: purified CD4+ cells contained an average of 16% and CD8+ cells an average of 10% anti-CD3-inducible lymphokine-secreting cells. By contrast, only 2 to 3% of cells of either subset formed clones in cultures with host allogeneic cells and IL-2, suggesting that clonogenic alloreactive cells were a minority of the T cells activated in the GVHR.     

GVHR elicited by products of class I or class II loci of the MHC: analysis of the response of mouse T lymphocytes to products of class I and class II loci of the MHC in correlation with GVHR-induced mortality, medullary aplasia, and enteropathy

A lethal graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) was elicited by the injection into irradiated (700 rad) mice, reconstituted with T-depleted bone marrow cells (BM), of T lymphocytes incompatible for different loci of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The number of T cells needed to kill more than 50% of the recipients by day 40 was about 10(6) for GVHR elicited across the product of the K, D, or E locus, but about 10(5)--10--fold less-when the A locus was involved. The mortality was associated with a medullary aplasia in all strain combinations, but enteropathy was observed only in GVHR elicited by the products of class II, and not class I, loci. Mortality and medullary aplasia were diminished or absent in recipients reconstituted with BM cells from T cell donors instead of cells of the host genotype, which suggests a direct (cytolytic) T-hematopoietic cell interaction. Lymphoproliferation was evident within the host spleen and lymph node 5 days after injection of T lymphocytes incompatible for class II but not class I loci. Spleens from mice suffering from a lethal GVHR were examined by culture in limiting dilution to evaluate the frequency of anti-host T cells and to derive anti-host T cell clones and lines, whose properties were explored. In the GVHR elicited across the A or E region of the MHC, examined between days 7 and 19, a high frequency (10(-2] of anti-host cells was observed. The polyclonal cell lines isolated (16) all displayed MLR responsiveness, antigen-driven IL 2 production, and cytolysis for LPS blasts of the host genotype. However, among 13 clones isolated, two categories were observed: Lyt-2-, which were MLR responders and IL 2 producers (four of 13), and Lyt-2+, which were cytolytic but neither MLR responders nor IL 2 producers (nine of 13). In the GVHR elicited by the K or D region, examined between days 7 and 90, the frequency of anti-host cells was low (10(3) to 10(4], with a tendency to decrease during the progression of the disease. The lines (11) or clones (26) isolated from different mice were all Lyt-2+ and strongly cytolytic but proliferated poorly and produced no IL 2 in MLR. These findings suggest that the Lyt-2+ lymphocytes, recognizing the products of the class I loci, function in vivo without proliferation and without requiring helper T cells. Cell lines specific for class I or class II loci of the MHC produced interferon and colony-stimulating factors.     

Studies on the mitogen responses of germfree allogeneic chimeras. II. Maturation of two cell types and partial restoration of responsiveness of the short-term chimeras.

Germfree allogeneic bone marrow chimeras (ABMC) were produced by the i.v. injection of approximately 10(7) bone marrow cells from germfree DBA/2 mice into lethally irradiated germfree C3H mice. In the germfree state, the short-term ABMC showed no histologic signs of graft-vs-host reactions (GVHR), yet splenic lymphocytes were unable to respond to PHA, Con A, or SRBC. Attempts to remove responsiveness by the implantation of a DBA/2 thymus under the host kidney capsule also resulted in failure. However, when the donor thymus was enclosed in a cell-impermeable chamber to eliminate a GVH reaction, responsiveness to Con A was restored. The PHA and SRBC responses were unaffected by this treatment. Daily injections of thymosin caused both an increased Con A response and increased numbers of PFC, although the PHA response was again unaffected. Thus, soluble substances from thymic tissue can be used to overcome partially the histocompatibility barrier present in the ABMC that affects at least two different functional cell populations.     

Recognition and response to alloantigens in vivo. I. Negative and positive selection of MLR reactivity in murine peripheral blood lymphocytes to major histocompatibility complex and Mls antigens

Specific mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) responsiveness to allogeneic major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or minor lymphocyte-stimulating (Mls) determinants, was depleted in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained from mice 24 to 48 hr after i.v. injection of 5 to 7.5 X 10(7) MHC or Mlsa-incompatible spleen cells, respectively. Results of cell mixture experiments suggest that the generation of suppressor cells was not the explanation for this specific reduction in MLR proliferation occurring with these PBL responder cells. To gain additional insight into parameters involved in the recognition of allodeterminants in vivo, experimental manipulations of the host environment and donor cell inoculum utilized in the negative selection procedure were employed. For example, removal of the spleen in the recipient animal, an anatomic site in which injected allogeneic cells and corresponding host antigen-reactive cells (ARC) are trapped, still permitted the specific depletion in murine PBL of host ARC for donor foreign MHC antigens. This finding may implicate other sites such as the liver where unprimed host alloreactive clones are trapped. In addition, irradiation of allogeneic donor cells significantly reduced their capacity to trap alloreactive T cell clones in vivo, whereas heat treatment of the donor cells completely eliminated this ability, even though the Ia determinants were still expressed, measured by flow cytometry. After the negative selection period, kinetic analysis of proliferation showed that 3, 4, or 5 days after injection of MHC-incompatible allogeneic spleen cells, the PBL of the recipient showed specific hyperresponsiveness to the MHC-haplotype of the donor cells. Interestingly, these primed PBL responder cells had the volume distribution of small resting cells; thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL), positively selected by adoptive transfer of T cells to irradiated semiallogeneic recipients, are reported to be mainly blast cells. In contrast to the MLR hyperresponsiveness that results from priming with MHC-incompatible splenocytes, PBL, obtained at these later time points from mice primed with Mlsa-incompatible, H-2-compatible splenocytes, showed complete unresponsiveness in MLR to these Mlsa-bearing stimulator cells, as well as some nonspecific reduction in proliferation to MHC-incompatible stimulator cells regardless of their Mls genotype.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effects of T cell depletion in radiation bone marrow chimeras. I. Evidence for a donor cell population which increases allogeneic chimerism but which lacks the potential to produce GVHD

The opposing problems of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) and failure of alloengraftment present major obstacles to the application of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) across complete MHC barriers. The addition of syngeneic T-cell-depleted (TCD) bone marrow (BM) to untreated fully allogeneic marrow inocula in lethally irradiated mice has been previously shown to provide protection from GVHD. We have used this model to study the effects of allogeneic T cells on levels of chimerism in recipients of mixed marrow inocula. The results indicate that T cells in allogeneic BM inocula eliminate both coadministered recipient-strain and radioresistant host hematopoietic elements to produce complete allogeneic chimerism without clinical GVHD. To determine the role of GVH reactivity in this phenomenon, we performed similar studies in an F1 into parent combination, in which the genetic potential for GVHD is lacking. The presence of T cells in F1 marrow inocula led to predominant repopulation with F1 lymphocytes in such chimeras, even when coadministered with TCD-recipient-strain BM. These results imply that the ability of allogeneic BM cells removed by T cell depletion to increase levels of allochimerism may be mediated by a population which is distinct from that which produces GVHD. These results may have implications for clinical BM transplantation.     

Repopulation of host lymphohematopoietic systems by donor cells during graft-versus-host reaction in unirradiated adult F1 mice injected with parental lymphocytes.

The graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) generated by the injection of parental lymphocytes into unirradiated immune-competent F1 hosts is characterized by an acute loss of immune functions, an attack on host tissues, and a gradual recovery of function. Flow cytometric analysis of the donor- and host-derived splenic populations during the course of acute dysfunction and gradual recovery revealed a complex pattern of changes in lymphoid and myeloid populations that resulted in the repopulation of the host with donor-derived cells. Initially, donor-derived T cell populations expanded, particularly CD8+ T cells. Next, host T cell and B cell populations disappeared. Finally, donor-derived cells repopulated the lymphohematopoietic system in the sequence myeloid populations, B cells, and, after a protracted period, T cells. The recovery of immune functions following GVHR-induced immune deficiency was associated with this repopulation of the spleen by donor-derived cells. Donor repopulation of the host lymphohematopoietic system required the presence of both CD4 and CD8 cells in the original donor inoculum. Depletion of donor CD4 populations precluded development of GVHR or any donor engraftment; depletion of CD8 cells resulted in engraftment solely of donor CD4 populations.     

Dendritic cells exposed to herpes simplex virus in vivo do not produce IFN-alpha after rechallenge with virus in vitro and exhibit decreased T cell alloreactivity

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DC) are known to produce large amounts of IFN-alpha when stimulated with virus in vivo and in vitro. Immunohistological staining of spleens from mice taken at different times after HSV infection revealed an early infiltration of plasmacytoid DC whereas both the myeloid DC and lymphoid-related DC had different kinetics. Upon rechallenge with virus in vitro, total splenic DCs from viral-infected mice were unable to produce IFN-alpha when compared with DC from mice that received an initial in vivo injection with PBS. Furthermore, DC from mice that were infected with increasing doses of HSV expressed high levels of accessory and activation molecules compared with control mice. However, when cultured in vitro together with allogeneic T cells, DC from mice that had been exposed to the highest viral titers in vivo induced the lowest levels of T cell proliferation. DC exposed to PBS in vivo promoted a Th1 response upon coculture with CD4(+) T cells whereas T cells cultured with DC exposed to increasing viral titers in vivo resulted in a gradually decreased Th1 response. The data suggest HSV induces DC maturation and at higher titers, exhaustion, diminishing T cell proliferation, and IFN-gamma secretion.     

Acquisition of functional MHC class II/peptide complexes by T cells during thymic development and CNS-directed pathogenesis

This study provides evidence that both rat and mouse thymic and splenic T cells express significant levels of MHC class II glycoproteins (MHCII) in vivo. Derivation of rat and mouse chimeras revealed that a major source of MHCII on thymic T cells was acquired from radioresistant host APC. Expression of MHC on thymic T cells appeared physiologically relevant because presentation of rat myelin basic protein (RMBP) by nonadherent, radiosensitive thymic T cells was associated with the adoptive transfer of tolerance. Mature MBP-specific effector T cells isolated from the CNS in both rat and mouse models of EAE also expressed significant levels of MHCII. Adoptive transfer of activated B10.PL MBP/I-A(u)-restricted TCR transgenic T cells into F1(C57BL/6 x B10.PL) mice revealed acquisition of allogeneic I-A(b) on encephalitogenic CNS-derived T cells. Overall, this study indicates that immature and mature T cells in rats and mice acquire functional MHCII in vivo during thymic development and pathogenic inflammation.     

Thymus-dependence of genetic resistance to (CBA x M523)F1 lymphocytes

The nature of cells responsible for the genetic resistance of lethally irradiated CBA mice to lymphocytes of (CBA x M523)F1 hybrids was studied. Preirradiation of the hosts was shown to abolish the resistance. The latter was generally recovered by syngeneic thymocytes or splenocytes while embryonic liver and bone marrow cells or splenocytes treated with anti-Thy-I serum plus complement before injection into host were ineffective. It is postulated that some cells with T cell characteristics are responsible for the phenomenon of parental resistance. These cells differ in several respects from T cells that mediate the transplantation immunity and from M cells that control other forms of the genetic resistance.     

Mitomycin C-treated or irradiated concanavalin A-activated T cells augment the activation of cytotoxic T cells in vivo

The activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in vivo after immunization of normal or cyclophosphamide-treated mice with allogeneic cells was strongly augmented by the administration of mitomycin C-treated or irradiated concanavalin A-activated spleen cells (Con A-spl). This effect of the Con A-spl was abrogated by treatment with Anti-Thy 1 antibody plus complement, and was therefore presumably mediated by activated "helper" T cells. (The term "helper" cell is only operationally defined in this context and indicates that the augmenting irradiation resistant T cells are obviously not CTL precursor cells). These observations indicated (i) that even the cytotoxic response against allogeneic stimulator cells suffers in vivo from insufficient "helper" T cell activity, and (ii) that the injection of Con A-spl may serve as a simple procedure to apply this "helper" activity in vivo. This procedure was at least as effective as the repeated injection of interleukin 2 (IL-2)-containing cell supernatants with up to four 30-unit doses of IL-2 per mouse. IL-2-containing cell supernatants were found to mediate similar effects only if injected into the footpads but not intravenously. This was in line with the reported observation that IL-2 has an extremely short half-life in vivo. The injection of Con A-spl was also found to augment the proliferative response in the regional lymph nodes.     

Mls-1a-induced peripheral tolerance to host minor histocompatibility antigens in radiation bone marrow chimeras. Modification of T cell repertoire associated with active suppression and permanent presentation of host antigens.

Minor histocompatibility Ag (mHAg) can be responsible for the development of graft vs host reaction (GVHR) after bone marrow transplantation. In a mouse model, B10.D2 donor immunization against Mls-1a prevents lethal GVHR developed by CD4+ T cells against DBA mHAg in irradiated (DBA/2 x B10.D2)F1 hosts. Such F1 hosts become 100% chimeric and show long term survival (LS mice). The cellular mechanisms underlying the tolerance in LS mice was investigated. It was found that a state of tolerance can be induced in thymectomized F1 hosts. Although spleen cells from LS mice are able to initiate lethal GVHR in third-party H-2k-incompatible hosts, no GVHR is observed in secondary hosts incompatible for specific DBA/2 mHAg. Mixed lymphocyte experiments in vitro confirm that T cells from LS mice are unresponsive toward specific DBA/2 mHAg, although they are able to proliferate in response to H-2 or Mls-1a Ag. The responsiveness to Mls-1a correlates with the presence of V beta 6+ cells in LS mice, probably derived from mature T cells present in the donor inoculum. The tolerance in LS mice is not due to the lack of DBA/2 mHAg presentation; instead, permanent presentation of Ag (Ag I and Ag II) previously described as being responsible for lethal GVHR is consistently observed. A significant protection against GVHR is obtained by transferring normal B10.D2 cells together with spleen cells from LS mice, clearly indicating the contribution of active suppression in the state of tolerance; this is further confirmed by in vitro results obtained in limiting dilution assays. It is concluded that tolerance in chimeric LS mice 1) is due to a peripheral (thymus-independent) mechanism; 2) is specific for mHAg; 3) correlates with unresponsiveness of the repertoire to host mHAg, without alteration of the repertoire for H-2 and Mls-1a Ag; and 4) is associated with an active suppression and with a permanent presentation of at least two mHAg responsible for GVHR mortality.     

Status of T- and B-lymphocytes in long living CBA--F1 (CBA X C57BL/6) chimeras]

Semiallogeneic chimeras were produced by injecting 3 X 10(7) spleen cells of mice CBA (H--2k, Mlsd) to lethally irradiated mice (CBA X C57BL/6)F1. Two days later recipients were given cyclophosphamide (CP), 2 mg per mouse, to prevent death of graft versus host reaction (GVHR). For 1.5--2 months after the creation of chimerism in 23 of 26 mice under study all cells producing antibodies to SRBC were represented by donor cells of H-2 phenotype; 3 mice were partial chimeras. Spontaneous blast transformation in the cultures of chimera spleen did not exceed the control level, and in the mixed lymphocyte culture chimera cells failed to proliferate on addition of irradiated lymphocytes (CBA X C57BL/6) F1. At the same time chimera gave intensive blast transformation to the irradiated lymphocytes of the third line of mice DBA/2 (H--2d, Mlsa). Among the chimera spleen cells no killers capable of destroying target cells of donor or recipient origin were revealed. Similar results were obtained in vivo: chimera cells gave no positive local GVHR after administration to mice (CBA X C57BL/6) F1. Prolonged chimerism was accompanied by a reactivity of donor T-lymphocytes to the recipient transplantation antigens. A blocking factor was revealed in the blood serum of chimeras. The substitution of donor lymphocytes for the recipient cells begins after 3 to 5 months. At the same period donor T-cell population reconstitutes partially the responsiveness to the recipient antigens and the blocking factor disappears from chimeras blood.     

Antigen-specific protection against graft-vs-host induced immune deficiency

A severe, antigen-nonspecific, and long-lasting immune-deficient state can be induced in healthy, adult immune-competent F1 hybrid mice by a single i.v. injection of parental T lymphocytes. The present report demonstrates that this graft-vs-host-induced immune deficiency (GVHID) can be prevented in an antigen-specific way by immunization of the F1 mice with allogeneic cells before induction of GVHID. Thus, spleen cells from (A X B)F1 mice primed with allogeneic cells from strain C and then injected with parental spleen cells from A did not generate cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to trinitophenyl-modified self cells or to allogeneic cells from third party strains D or E. However, spleen cells from the same mice generated normal levels of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity to allogeneic cells from C, the strain used for immunization. Furthermore, mice exposed to murine cytomegalovirus before induction of GVHID were resistant to a subsequent challenge with murine cytomegalovirus, whereas GVHID mice that received only the murine cytomegalovirus challenge all died. These findings are discussed with respect to the possibilities that primed and unprimed T helper cells may be differentially susceptible to the suppressive effects of GVH.     

In vivo functional clonal deletion of recipient CD4+ T helper precursor cells that can recognize class II MHC on injected donor lymphoid cells.

Intravenous injection of semiallogeneic (C57BL/6XDBA/2)F1 lymphocytes into adult C57BL/6 recipient mice not only, as previously reported, reduces the recipients' cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in a subsequent in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction against the injected cell type, but also reduces Th cell function in the same MLR. Thus lymphoid cells derived from the injected mice were greatly reduced in their ability to proliferate and to produce IL-2 in response to (C57BL/6XDBA/2)F1 stimulator cells in vitro, whereas third party responses were unaffected. This appears to be due to a reduction in the precursor frequency of IL-2-producing T lymphocytes specific for the injected cells as measured by limiting dilution analysis. Similar donor-specific reduction in the frequency of precursors of IL-2-producing cells was seen after i.v. injection of A.TL lymphocytes into A.TH recipients (differing at class II determinants I-A and I-E, but identical at K and D). Here there also appeared to be a functional clonal deletion of precursors of IL-2-producing Th cells, shown directly to be class II MHC reactive and CD4+. There is strong evidence that the reduction of class I-specific cytotoxic responses in the injected mice is a manifestation of donor cells that function as veto cells, i.e., that function as deletional APC that inactivate class I-reactive CTL precursors that recognize them. Our data in this study show that class II-specific Th responses are similarly reduced in the injected mice and suggest that CD4+ class II-reactive precursors of Th cells may be functionally inactivated in vivo by donor cells via a veto-like mechanism.     

Adoptive transfer of delayed-type hypersensitivity to Sendai virus. III. Effect of H-2 mutations on recognition by K, D-region restricted T effector lymphocytes

The H-2 restriction pattern of cytolytic T lymphocytes (Tc) and T lymphocytes which mediate a delayed-type hypersensitivity response (Td) directed against infectious Sendai virus was investigated using H-2 mutant mice. Td and Tc lymphocytes exhibit the same fine specificity for self-recognition, for example, B6.C-H-2bm1 effector T cells were unable to recognize viral antigens in association with wild-type Kb and vice versa, B6.H-2bm6 effector cells did not mediate a reaction against virus plus wild-type Kb but, on the other hand, T cells of wild-type Kb recognized virus plus Kbm6 BALB/c-H-2dm2 T cells lacked reactivity against virus in association with wild-type Dd, but again wild-type Dd effector cells recognized virus plus Ddm2.     

Human effector memory CD4+ T cells directly recognize allogeneic endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo

The frequency of circulating alloreactive human memory T cells correlates with allograft rejection. Memory T cells may be divided into effector memory (T(EM)) and central memory (T(CM)) cell subsets, but their specific roles in allograft rejection are unknown. We report that CD4+ T(EM) (CD45RO+ CCR7- CD62L-) can be adoptively transferred readily into C.B-17 SCID/bg mice and mediate the destruction of human endothelial cells (EC) in vascularized human skin grafts allogeneic to the T cell donor. In contrast, CD4+ T(CM) (CD45RO+ CCR7+ CD62L+) are inefficiently transferred and do not mediate EC injury. In vitro, CD4+ T(EM) secrete more IFN-gamma within 48 h in response to allogeneic ECs than do T(CM). In contrast, T(EM) and T(CM) secrete comparable amounts of IFN-gamma in response to allogeneic monocytes (Mo). In the same cultures, both T(EM) and T(CM) produce IL-2 and proliferate in response to IFN-gamma-treated allogeneic human EC or Mo, but T(CM) respond more vigorously in both assays. Blockade of LFA-3 strongly inhibits both IL-2 and IFN-gamma secretion by CD4+ T(EM) cultured with allogeneic EC but only minimally inhibits responses to allogeneic Mo. Blockade of CD80 and CD86 strongly inhibits IL-2 but not IFN-gamma production by in response to allogeneic EC or Mo. Transduction of EC to express B7-2 enhances allogeneic T(EM) production of IL-2 but not IFN-gamma. We conclude that human CD4+ T(EM) directly recognize and respond to allogeneic EC in vitro by secreting IFN-gamma and that this response depends on CD2 but not CD28. Consistent with EC activation of effector functions, human CD4+ T(EM) can mediate allogeneic EC injury in vivo.     

Dendritic cells permit immune invasion of the CNS in an animal model of multiple sclerosis

Immunization with myelin antigens leads to the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. The disease can also be induced by the transfer of encephalitogenic CD4+ T helper (T(H)) lymphocytes into naive mice. These T cells need to re-encounter their cognate antigen in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-bearing antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in order to recognize their target. The cell type and location of the APC mediating T-cell entry into the central nervous system (CNS) remain unknown. Here, we show that APCs of the lymphoreticular system and of the CNS parenchyma are dispensable for the immune invasion of the CNS. We also describe that a discrete population of vessel-associated dendritic cells (DCs) is present in human brain tissue. In mice, CD11c+ DCs alone are sufficient to present antigen in vivo to primed myelin-reactive T cells in order to mediate CNS inflammation and clinical disease development.