Failure of bone marrow cells to reconstitute T cell immunity in graft-vs-host mice

A chronic GVH reaction (detected by T cell immune deficiency) was induced in unirradiated, adult (C57BL/10 X B10.A)F1 mice by injecting them i.v. with 3 X 10(7) B10.A parental spleen cells. Thirty-four days later, attempts were made to reconstitute the GVH immune-deficient mice by whole-body irradiation and repopulation with bone marrow cells from normal syngeneic F1 mice. The reconstituted mice were tested for CTL responses 147 and 272 days after repopulation with normal F1 bone marrow. These GVH/chimera mice remained immunoincompetent for at least 272 days for CTL responses to hapten-self and H-2 allogeneic antigens.     

Graft-vs-host reaction limited to a class II MHC difference results in a selective deficiency in L3T4+ but not in Lyt-2+ T helper cell function

Hybrid mice of the (B6 X bm12)F1 combination were inoculated i.v. with parental B6 spleen cells to induce a class II graft-vs-host disease (GVH). Such mice failed to generate in vitro cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses that were dependent upon L3T4+ T helper cell (Th) function (e.g., anti-B6-TNP) but were capable of generating in vitro CTL responses that could be mediated by Lyt-2+ Th cells (anti-allo class I). When Th function was assayed directly by interleukin 2 (IL 2) secretion, class II GVH animals were found to be deficient in L3T4+ but not Lyt-2+ IL 2-secreting Th cells. This selective deficiency in L3T4+ Th function correlates with a selective decrease in class II GVH mice of host-derived derived L3T4+ T cells. In addition, it was found that the spleens of class II GVH mice contained cells capable of selectively suppressing L3T4+ Th function. In contrast, mice in which a class I + II GVH occurred were depleted of both L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ Th function as assessed by IL 2 production. The findings that class II GVH selectively depletes L3T4+ T cells and T cell functions are discussed with respect to the immune function of distinct T cell subsets in normal and diseased states.     

Graft-vs-host reactions (GVHR) across minor murine histocompatibility barriers. I. Impairment of mitogen responses and suppressor phenomena

In our laboratory, we have developed a murine model to examine GVHD across minor histocompatibility antigens. In our model, GVHD is induced by injecting B10.D2 spleen cells into irradiated BALB/c recipients. Seven to 10 days after irradiation and injection of cells, there are significant changes in cell function in the recipient spleens. In the B10.D2----BALB/c (600 rad) model, recipient spleen cells are profoundly unresponsive to Con A and LPS stimulation but show increased B cell activity measured by Staphylococcus aureus protein A plaque-forming activity. Spleen cells from such GVH mice profoundly suppress the mitogenic responses of normal BALB/c or B10.D2 spleen cells to Con A and LPS. The degree of impairment of the mitogenic response and the ability to suppress normal cells is proportional to the dose of cells used to induce GVH reactions. Both the inability to respond to mitogens and the capacity to suppress are also related to the dose of irradiation given to the recipients. In addition, immunosuppression across minor histocompatibility antigens shows an unevenhandedness. If we inject parental B10.D2 or BALB/c cells into F1 recipients (P----F1), there is greater inhibition of mitogenic responses when B10.D2 parental cells are given than when BALB/c cells are given to the irradiated F1 recipients. These experiments show that significant immunosuppression occurs during GVH reactions across minor histocompatibility barriers. The degree of suppression varies according to the dose of cells used to induce GVH, the dose of irradiation to the recipient and the "strength" of the GVH recognition system. Such experiments provide models for GVH disease seen in humans who receive treatment for leukemia or other diseases that involves recipient irradiation and infusion of HLA-identical bone marrow.     

Role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the prevention of lupus-like disease occurring in a murine model of graft-vs-host disease

The inoculation of B6D2F1 mice with T lymphocytes from the C57BL/6 parental strain induces an "immunosuppressive" graft-vs-host reaction (B6 GVH), whereas inoculation of T cells from the other, DBA/2 parental strain induces an "immunostimulatory" GVH reaction and a lupus-like disease (DBA GVH). The present study compares cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function in the spleens of these GVH mice as well as differences in the donor inoculum that could account for these different types of GVH. We observed that the B6 GVH induces an immunodeficiency that encompasses CTL precursors (and possibly T helper cells) and results in suppressor cells that abrogate responses to both trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified self and third party alloantigens. In contrast, the DBA GVH induces only a T helper cell immunodeficiency and results in suppressor cells selective for class II restricted L3T4+ T helper cells. Chimeric T cells were detected in both types of GVH. In the B6 GVH both L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ donor cells were observed, although Lyt-2+ cells predominated. In the DBA GVH, donor T cells were almost exclusively of the L3T4+ phenotype. The lack of appreciable donor Lyt-2+ cells in the DBA GVH can be explained by a defect in the DBA donor inoculum manifested by a naturally occurring two-fold reduction in Lyt-2+ cell numbers as well as a nine-fold reduction in CTL precursors with anti-F1 specificity. T cells in the DBA inoculum, therefore, are predominantly L3T4+. A similar defect induced in B6 donor cells by anti-Lyt2 antibody and complement not only converted the suppressive GVH to a stimulatory GVH, as measured by anti-DNA antibodies, but also resulted in a T cell immune deficiency characteristic of the DBA GVH, i.e., a selective loss of the TNP-self CTL response. Thus the presence or absence of adequate numbers of functioning Lyt-2+ cells in the donor inoculum is correlated with the development of either a suppressive or stimulatory GVH, respectively. That donor Lyt-2+ cells mediate a suppressive GVH through cytolytic mechanisms is evidenced by greater than 70% reduction in B6 GVH spleen cell numbers and readily demonstrable anti-F1 CTL activity by these spleen cells despite an inability to generate anti-allogeneic or anti-TNP self CTL activity even in the presence of added T helper factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Abrogation of hybrid resistance to bone marrow engraftment by graft-vs-host-induced immune deficiency

Lethally irradiated F1 mice, heterozygous at the hematopoietic histocompatibility locus Hh-1, which is linked with H-2Db, reject bone marrow grafts from H-2b parents. This hybrid resistance (HR) is reduced by prior injection of H-2b parental spleen cells. Because injection of parental spleen cells produces a profound suppression of F1 immune functions, we investigated whether parental-induced abrogation of HR was due to graft-vs-host-induced immune deficiency (GVHID). HR was assessed by quantifying engraftment of H-2b bone marrow in F1 mice with the use of splenic [125I]IUdR uptake; GVHID, by the ability of F1 spleen cells to generate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in vitro. We observed a correlation in the time course and spleen cell dose dependence between loss of HR and GVHID. Both GVHID and loss of HR were dependent on injection of parental T cells; nude or T-depleted spleen cells were ineffective. The injection of B10 recombinant congenic spleens into (B10 X B10.A)F1 mice, before grafting with B10 marrow, demonstrated that only those disparities in major histocompatibility antigens that generated GVH would result in loss of HR. Thus, spleens from (B10 X B10.A(2R]F1 mice (Class I disparity only) did not induce GVHID or affect HR, whereas (B10 X B10.A(5R))F1 spleens (Class I and II disparity) abrogated CTL generation and HR completely. GVHID produced by a class II only disparity, as in (B10 X B10.A(5R))F1 spleens injected into (B6bm12 X B10.A(5R))F1 mice, was also sufficient to markedly reduce HR to B10 bone marrow. This evidence that GVHID can modulate hematopoietic graft rejection may be relevant to the mechanisms of natural resistance to marrow grafts in man.     

Regulation of immune responses by T cell subsets. Role of helper and suppressor T cells in the development and expression of MHC-restricted antibody responses to L-glutamic acid60-L-alanine30-L-tyrosine10 (GAT) by (responder X responder)F1 spleen cells

The roles of helper and suppressor T cells in the development and expression of antibody responses to GAT were studied in (responder X responder)F1 mice immunized with parental GAT-M phi. Spleen cells from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 mice primed in vivo with B10 or B10.D2 GAT-M phi developed secondary in vitro plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses only when stimulated by GAT-M phi syngeneic with the GAT-M phi used for in vivo priming. By contrast, virgin F1 spleen cells developed comparable primary PFC responses to both parental GAT-M phi Co-culture of T cells from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 mice primed in vivo by B10 GAT-M phi with virgin (B10 X B10.D2)F1 spleen cells demonstrated the presence of suppressor cells that inhibited the primary response of virgin spleen cells stimulated by B10.D2 GAT-M phi. Spleen cells from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 mice primed in vivo with B10.D2 GAT-M phi had suppressor T cells that suppressed primary responses stimulated by B10 GAT-M phi. The suppressor T cell mechanism was composed of at least two regulatory T cell subsets. Suppressor-inducer T cells were Lyt-2-, I-J+ and must be derived from immune spleen cells. Suppressor-effector T cells can be derived from virgin or immune spleens and were Lyt-2+ cells. When the suppressor mechanism was disabled by treatment with 1000 rad gamma irradiation or removal of Lyt-2+ cells, Lyt-2-helper T cells from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 mice primed with B10 GAT-M phi provided radioresistant help to virgin F1 B cells stimulated by B10 but not B10.D2 GAT-M phi. Suppressor inducer Lyt-2-,I-J+ cells from B10 GAT-M phi-primed (B10 X B10.D2)F1 mice were separated from the primed Lyt-2-,I-J-helper T cells. In the presence of Lyt-2+ suppressor effector cells, the Lyt-2-,I-J+ suppressor-inducer suppressed the primary response of virgin spleen or virgin T plus B cells stimulated by both B10 and B10.D2 GAT-M phi. Therefore, suppressor T cells were able to suppress primary but not secondary GAT-specific PFC responses stimulated by either parental GAT-M phi. These results showed that immunization of (responder X responder)F1 mice with parental GAT-M phi results in the development of antigen-specific helper and suppressor T cells. The primed helper T cells were radioresistant and were genetically restricted to interact with GAT in association with the major histocompatibility complex antigens of the M phi used for in vivo priming.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Graft-vs-host reactions (GVHR) across minor murine histocompatibility barriers. II. Development of natural suppressor cell activity

We explored the immunoincompetence of mice undergoing a chronic graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) across minor histocompatibility barriers. BALB/c and B10.D2 mice are H-2d and mls b, and differ only with regard to minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHA). A large number of BALB/c mice were unirradiated or were irradiated with 300, 600, or 900 R. They then were injected with 5 X 10(7) spleen cells from either allogeneic B10.D2 or syngeneic BALB/c mice. The spleen cells from these recipient mice were assayed at various times post-irradiation/injection for their proliferative response to Con A and LPS, their ability to suppress the mitogen responses of normal spleen cells, and for the genetic specificity of this suppression. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice that had received 600 or 900 R (but not 0 or 300 R), and allogeneic B10.D2 lymphocytes, became very hyporesponsive to mitogens and became suppressive in vitro by days 7 to 10 post-irradiation/injection. These phenomena persisted for the entire 49 days of the experiment. After an initial period of splenomegaly, the spleens of these mice gradually became depleted of viable lymphocytes. Initial characterization of suppressor cells found in the spleens of GVH mice showed that they were not removed by treatment with anti-Thy-1.2 plus complement. GVH suppressors also were not adherent to plates coated with antiserum directed towards murine Ig. In addition, these cells did not adhere to plastic plates. Thus, we believe that the suppressor cells found in mice undergoing GVHD across MiHA are not mature T cells, B cells, or macrophages, but belong to a class of suppressor cells termed natural suppressor (NS). Genetic analysis of NS cell activity showed that as early as 10 days post-irradiation/injection, NS cells inhibited mitogen responses of all mouse strains tested, the exception being the relative difficulty in suppressing the LPS response of B10.D2 (syngeneic with donor cells). By day 42, this had developed into an almost complete inability to suppress a B10.D2 LPS response, although at this time NS cells were still capable of inhibiting all the other mitogen responses of all strains tested, including the Con A response of B10.D2 spleen cells. Moderate amounts of mitogen unresponsiveness and suppressor activity were seen in the syngeneic groups (BALB/c----BALB/c) but only if recipients received 600 or 900 R. This was a transient phenomenon that was maximal at day 14, and which we believe to be a similar but less severe degree of immunoincompetence when compared with that seen with allogeneic stimulation in the B10.D2----BALB/c GVH model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Heterogeneity of mouse Thy 1.2 antigen expression revealed by monoclonal antibodies

A different sensitivity of T cells from C57B1/6 and DBA/2 mice to treatment with the monoclonal anti-Thy 1.2 F7D5 serum as compared with a conventional alloantiserum is reported. Depletion of T helper cells, Con A-, PHA-, MLC-, and GVH-reactive cells from a DBA/2 or C57B1/6 spleen cell population was readily achieved with the conventional alloserum. In contrast, the F7D5 antiserum abolished all T functions studied in C57B1/6 spleen cells whereas it was totally or partially ineffective on DBA/2 spleen cells when T helper, MLC, or GVH reactivity were assayed. It did however eliminate the capacity of DBA/2 spleen cells to respond to stimulation with Con A or PHA. Analysis in an Ortho-Cytofluorograf of thymocytes and sIg^? lymphocytes labeled with either GAMB-F or F7D5 + RAM Ig-F showed no difference at the level of the thymocytes: Thy 1.2 antigen as revealed by either GAMB or F7D5 is similarly expressed in the two mouse strains. The fluorescence profiles of splenic T lymphocytes indicated a reduced representation per unit cell basis of the Thy 1.2 antigenic determinant recognized by F7D5 in DBA/2 mice. Moreover, this same determinant is expressed in only 70% of all Thy 1.2-positive cells detected in DBA/2 sIg^? population. This implies that, in DBA/2 mice, maturation of T cells is accompanied by a complete or partial loss of the F7D5 Thy 1.2 determinant and that T helper functions and MLC and GVH reactivity are mediated by T cells which express little or none of this F7D5 Thy 1.2 determinant.     

Eradication of disseminated murine leukemia by treatment with high-dose interleukin 2

Interleukin 2 (IL 2) in high concentration induces lymphocytes to become nonspecifically cytolytic to a wide variety of tumor targets. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of such lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in vivo and high-dose II 2 in vivo against disseminated murine leukemia. To quantitate the potential anti-leukemia effect of LAK cells in vivo, B6 mice were injected i.p. with graded doses of FBL-3 leukemia cells followed by LAK cells. In this Winn-type assay, 1 X 10(7) LAK cells were able to prevent the outgrowth of 1 X 10(2) FBL-3 cells in only 50% of mice and did not prevent the outgrowth of 1 X 10(6) tumor cells. Thus LAK cells, highly cytolytic to FBL-3 in vitro, mediated only a limited anti-tumor effect when applied directly to leukemia cells in vivo. LAK cells used as an adjunct to chemotherapy induced a small but non-curative effect against FBL-3, however. In this circumstance, LAK cells were markedly less effective than were immune spleen cells from mice previously sensitized to FBL-3. To test the anti-leukemia effect of high-dose IL 2 in vivo, B6 mice were inoculated with 5 X 10(6) FBL-3 cells followed by repeated doses of IL 2 at dose levels shown to induce LAK in vivo. "LAK-inducing" IL 2 doses on days 5 to 9 after FBL-3 inoculation, when tumor was disseminated, cured 50% of the mice. Treatment on days 5 to 9 was far more effective than on days 0 to 4, implying that the evolution of a host-tumor interaction was essential for the therapeutic effect of IL 2. Mice cured of FBL-3 by high-dose IL 2 were found to be immune to FBL-3, suggesting that tumor eradication resulted from a collaboration between LAK activity and tumor-specific immunity.     

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.     

Specific suppression of the in vitro parent anti-hybrid reaction. I. Characterization of a suppressor cell induced in hybrids by pretreatment with parent-strain spleen cells

Spleen cells from B6D2F1 hybrid mice pretreated with 5 X 10(7) B6 spleen cells iv 7 days earlier (B6-pretreated B6D2F1) exhibit a reduced capacity to stimulate the in vitro proliferative and anti-D2 CTL responses of B6 spleen cells. This inability of B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells to stimulate B6 spleen cells efficiently is due neither to the absence of stimulating cells bearing the D2 alloantigens nor to the destruction of B6 responding cells, but to the presence in the B6-pretreated B6D2F1 cell population of a suppressor mechanism, since the addition of B6-pretreated B6D2F1 spleen cells to a culture of normal B6 responding and irradiated B6D2F1-stimulating spleen cells can suppress the B6 anti-B6D2F1 response. This suppression is mediated by a nylon adherent, Thy-1-negative cell of parent-strain origin which is radioresistant at 2000 R. This suppressor cell is not induced by the injection to B6D2F1 hybrids of spleen cells from the other parent strain (D2) or an allogeneic strain (C3H). It does not suppress either the response of the other parent (D2) or an allogeneic strain (C3H) to B6D2F1 antigens, or the response of B6 cells to an allogeneic strain (C3H).     

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.     

In vitro splenic T cell responses of diverse mouse genotypes after oronasal exposure to mouse hepatitis virus, strain JHM.

Mortality rates among BALB/cByJ, A/JCr, C3H/HeSnJ, and C57BL/6NCr mice inoculated oronasally with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) strain JHM, ranged from 25 to 67%. Spleen cells harvested from the first three genotypes at 5 days postinoculation proliferated poorly in response to concanavalin A stimulation and produced significantly less interleukin (IL) 2 than cells from uninfected control mice. The function of spleen cells harvested at 14 days postinoculation varied and was host genotype-dependent. Despite clinical signs among some infected C57BL/6NCr mice, spleen cell function was relatively unaffected. C57BL/10ScNCr, B10.A, and SJL/JCr mice remained clinically normal after MHV inoculation. Proliferation and IL2 production by cells from inoculated C57BL/10ScNCr and B10.A mice were similar to responses of their respective controls. In contrast, cells from inoculated SJL/JCr mice were hyper-responsive and produced peak levels of IL2 earlier than control cells. Among the seven genotypes tested, only BALB/cByJ and C3H/HeSnJ spleen cells produced detectable IL4 after primary stimulation with concanavalin A or after priming and restimulation. Primary IL4 production by cells from these two genotypes was significantly reduced if donors were inoculated with MHV 5 days prior to spleen harvest. IL4 production by cells from acutely infected BALB/cByJ mice was considerably enhanced by priming and restimulation.     

Modulation of F1 cytotoxic potentials by GvHR. Host- and donor-derived cytotoxic lymphocytes arise in the unirradiated F1 host spleens under the condition of GvHR-associated immunosuppression

As an approach to dissect complex cellular events that lead to GvHR-associated immune disorders, we followed cytotoxic activities, including NK cytotoxicity, in the spleens of unirradiated F1 hosts undergoing GvHR induced by parental spleen cells. Spleen cells of (B10 X DBA/2)F1 or (B10 X AKR/J)F1 hosts undergoing GvHR induced by parental B10 spleen cells displayed a prompt and marked increase in NK cell activity within 36 hr, and the heightened activity lasted until day 8. The activity then declined abruptly and disappeared on day 12 of GvHR. Inversely, donor B10-derived CTL specifically directed to the opposite parental alloantigens of the F1 hosts emerged in these F1 host spleens on day 8, and the CTL activity reached a peak on day 12 when the host NK cell activity disappeared. During the period that the donor-derived anti-host CTL were present, these F1 host spleen cells lost not only NK cell activity but also the ability to mount in vitro CTL responses. In contrast, the respective F1 strain mice undergoing GvHR induced by the parental DBA/2 or AKR/J spleen cells showed only transient but marked increases in NK cell activity during the initial 36 hr, and then the activity decreased gradually to return to the normal level on day 10. In such GvHR F1 host spleens, donor-derived CTL could never be detected, and the spleen cells showed normal in vitro CTL responsiveness during the entire observation period of 16 days. These results are discussed from the viewpoint of genetically defined cellular events that lead to the GvHR-associated immune disorders.     

The use of cytotoxic T cells in the regulation of tumour growth in syngeneic mice

Summary Normal C57BL/6 (B6) spleen cells were cultured with syngeneic EL4 tumour cells, expanded in IL2-containing medium, and tested for anti-tumour activity in vitro and in vivo. The activated cells were highly cytotoxic for EL4 and to a lesser degree killed syngeneic B6 blasts and allogeneic (D2) P815 tumour cells. B6 or BDF1 mice that received these cultured cells by IP injection cleared ¹²⁵IUdR-labelled EL4 cells faster than untreated mice. However, this enhanced clearance was evident only 7–12 days after injection. Since the injected cells had a short half-life (<10% remaining after 48 h) the effect of these cells in vivo was most probably due to the activation of the host's immune system. Mice that received cultured cells survived significantly longer than untreated mice following a lethal dose of EL4 cells. Cultured cells were much more effective in prolonging survival when used in conjunction with cyclophosphamide (CY). In animals receiving either cultured cells with or without CY or CY alone tumour clearance was markedly enhanced 7–12 days after injection.When challenged with a small dose of EL4 tumour cells (1×10⁴ SC per mouse) three of ten B6 mice treated with B6 anti-EL4 cultured cells were able to survive indefinitely. The frequency of CTL precursors to EL4 from the spleen cells of these surviving animals was about five-fold higher than that of normal spleen cells. Furthermore, CTL derived from primed spleen cells were more specific for EL4 than those derived from normal spleen cells.Abbreviations B6 C57BL/6J - BDF1 (C57BL/6J×DBA/2J) F1 - ConA SN concanavalin A supernatant - CTL cytotoxic T lymphocytes - CTL-P cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors - CY cyclophosphamide - E/T effector-to-target ratio - IL2 interleukin 2 - IP intraperitoneal - IUdR iododeoxyuridine - IV intravenous - LPS lipopolysaccharide - MST mean survival time     

Autoimmunization in murine graft-vs-host disease. I. Selective production of antibodies to histones and DNA

A lupus-like disease characterized by a severe immune complex glomerulonephritis and IgG autoantibody production was induced in (C57BL/6 X DBA/2)F1 mice by injection of parental DBA/2 lymphoid cells. The ensuing graft-vs-host (GVH) reaction resulted in a 10- and a 100-fold increase in serum IgG antibody levels to denatured DNA and total histones, respectively, compared with that in F1----F1 control mice. The level of anti-DNA antibodies peaked 2 wk after injection of DBA/2 cells and preceded peak anti-histone levels by approximately 2 wk. Anti-histone antibodies were generated predominantly to histones H1, H2A, and H2B, a profile different from that observed in NZB/NZW and MRL-lpr/lpr mice. The marked increase in IgG antinuclear antibodies did not correlate with increases in total IgG serum levels and was not associated with comparable increases in antibodies to transferrin, hemoglobin, fibrinogen, or thyroglobulin. Selective autoantibody production was also observed in vitro, wherein GVH spleen cells produced high levels of IgG antibodies to total histones and denatured DNA but not to these non-nuclear protein antigens. In contrast, spleen cells stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide produced equivalent amounts of antibodies to all antigens tested. Our results are in agreement with those of other investigators and collectively suggest that IgG autoantibodies in GVH disease, and possibly in spontaneous lupus-like disease, are not secondary to a generalized B cell activation, but may be selectively generated in response to self antigens with unique configurational properties.     

Adoptive transfer of H-2-incompatible lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells: an approach for successful cancer immunotherapy free from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) using murine models

We investigated whether the adoptive transfer of H-2-incompatible lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells would efficiently demonstrate antitumor activity without damaging the normal host cells. Allogeneic LAK cells (5 X 10(7] did not cause graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in irradiated recipients, whereas more than half of the mice transferred with the same dose of fresh allogeneic spleen cells developed GVHD. Repeated transfer (three times at 4-day intervals, 1.2 X 10(8) cells/mouse) did not result in GVHD. Graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR), which is detectable by spleen enlargement of recipients transferred with allogeneic lymphoid cells was also absent in LAK cell-transferred mice of all strain combinations tested. Host immune responses were not affected in these mice. Therefore, it is feasible to transfer allogeneic LAK cells. With the antitumor efficacy of allogeneic LAK cells, they preferentially lysed allogeneic tumor targets. Adoptive transfer of the allogeneic LAK cells led to a significant decrease in the lung-colonizing foci of intravenously inoculated B16 melanoma cells. Allogeneic LAK cells and syngeneic ones were equally active, in vivo. The use of allogeneic LAK cells may prove to be a valuable method for effective clinical antitumor immunotherapy.     

Studies of thymopoietin pentapeptide (TP5) on experimental tumors: I. TP5 relieves immunosuppression in tumor-bearing mice

The allogeneic and syngeneic immune responses of tumor-bearing mice (C57BL/6 mice bearing 3LL and DBA mice bearing P815) were evaluated by the cytotoxic lymphocyte precursor unit (CLP-U) and MLC. In general, tumor-bearing mice showed slightly enhanced immune responses 4 days after tumor inoculation. This enhanced immune response rapidly declined and about 7–10 days after tumor inoculation, both allogeneic and syngeneic responses were markedly lower than normal. Mice treated with TP5, starting 2 weeks before tumor inoculation, retained normal or enhanced allogeneic and syngeneic responses up to 3 weeks after tumor inoculation. When this tumor-induced suppressive effect was studied in cell transfer experiments, spleen cells from tumor-bearing mice enhanced the growth of tumors in syngeneic recipients whereas spleen cells from TP5-treated mice inhibited the growth of tumors in syngeneic recipients. Moreover, the spleen cells from TP5-treated mice also showed enhanced cytotoxic activity against tumor cells in vitro. These findings suggest that the tumors, after a transient stimulatory phase, induced immune suppressive mechanisms in the hosts' immune defenses. Treatment with TP5 prevented the development of these immune suppressive effects and spleen cells from TP5-treated tumor-bearing mice inhibited tumor growth in freshly tumor-inoculated recipients.     

Specific partial depletion of graft-vs-host activity by incubation and centrifugation of mouse spleen cells on allogeneic spleen cell monolayers.

Spleen cells (from BALB/c mice immunized with the C57BL/6 lymphoma EL4, or from non-immune BALB/c) were incubated on monolayers of [C57BL/6 times BALB/cF1 (B6CF1) spleen cells on polylysine-coated polystyrene Petri plate, for 1/2 hr or for 1 hr at 37 degrees C followed by centrifugation of the monolayers for 5 min at 70 times G to 110 times G at 34 to 37 degrees C. Control monolayers were BALB/c spleen cells. As measured by the Simonsen spleen weight assay in neonatal mice, graft-vs-host (GVH) activity was partially depleted in cell populations nonadherent to B6CF1 monolayers. Residual GVH activity of these nonadherent cells was about half that of cells incubated on the control syngeneic monolayers (the mean of eight experiments was 49% +/- 11% S.D.). Two or three consecutive cycles of incubation and centrifugation did not significantly diminish the residual GVH activity, suggesting that spleen cells with GVH activity are heterogeneous with respect to binding to allogeneic target cells under the above conditions. Cell populations nonadherent to third-part [A times AL]F1 monolayers retained full activity, and cell populations partially depleted of GVH activity in B6CF1 neonates had full activity in third-party [BALB/c times AL]F1 neonates.     

Immunosuppression of normal lymphoid cells by serum from mice undergoing chronic graft-vs-host disease.

Spleen cells from F1 mice undergoing chronic graft-vs-host (GVH) reaction, induced by injection of parental cells, were shown to be immunosuppressed since their in vitro responses to the mitogens concanavalin A (Con A) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were substantially lower than control animals. Serum, from mice undergoing GVH, when cultured in vitro with normal spleen cells was immunosuppressive. The proliferation response to Con A and allogeneic cells of normal syngeneic, allogeneic, and parental spleen cells was 90% suppressed when serum from mice undergoing chronic GVH was added in comparison to the addition of serum from untreated F1 mice. Similarly, the in vitro antibody response to a T-dependent antigen was impaired; however, the antibody response to a T-independent antigen was not impaired. These results indicate that T cell functions are more sensitive than are B cell functions to immunosuppressive factors in the serum of mice undergoing GVH.