Recognition of influenza virus-infected B-cell lines by human influenza virus-specific CTL

Multiple sclerosis patients have reduced HLA class II-restricted cytotoxic responses specific for both measles and herpes virus

It has been previously demonstrated that the generation of measles virus (MV)-specific cytotoxicity (CTL) is reduced in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). By contrast, CTL specific for influenza virus (FLU) and mumps virus is normal. It is uncertain if reduced CTL is limited to MV in MS patients, or if reduced CTL may be found to other viruses as well. Since MV-specific CTL is predominantly restricted by HLA class II molecules, while FLU-specific and mumps-specific CTL have large HLA class I-restricted components, reduced MV-specific CTL may reflect a broader reduction in HLA class II-restricted CTL in patients with MS. To examine this question we studied the generation of CTL specific for herpes simplex virus type I (HSV). HSV-specific CTL, like MV-specific CTL is predominantly restricted by HLA class II molecules. We found that patients with MS had reduced generation of CTL to both MV and HSV. Most, but not all patients who had reduced generation of CTL to one virus also had a similar impairment with respect to the second virus. Some patients, however, had a reduction in the generation of CTL only to MV or to HSV. These findings extend our earlier observations regarding reduced MV-specific CTL in patients with MS to a second HLA class II-restricted virus, HSV. Such a reduction may reflect discrete impairments in immune function to separate viruses, possibly those that are associated with viral persistence, or may reflect a more generalized defect in HLA class II-restricted CTL.

Effect of a Tyr-to-His point-mutation at position 59 in the alpha-1 helix of the HLA-B27 class-I molecule on allospecific and virus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte recognition

HLA-B2703, a mutation of HLA-B2705, is characterized by a Tyr-to-His substitution at position 59 in the alpha 1 domain of the class-I heavy chain. So far, the HLA-B2703 subtype was found only in two Black individuals and it is the first polymorphism at position 59 of MHC class-I molecules. We have examined whether the single amino-acid substitution at position 59 results in an alloantigenic determinant and HLA-restriction element, and whether HLA-B2703 functionally differs from HLA-B2705. In vitro, HLA-B2703-positive lymphocytes were not stimulated by HLA-B2705-positive cells. Nevertheless, HLA-B2703 was recognized as an alloantigen. HLA-B2702-anti-HLA-B2705 CTL lysed HLA-B2703-positive cells less efficiently than HLA-B2705-positive cells. In addition, anti-HLA-B27 antibodies were found that lysed HLA-B2705 but not HLA-B2703 positive cells. Also, CTL clones have been described that can distinguish HLA-B2703 from HLA-B2705 (1). However, the HLA-B2703 subtype did not function as a private virus restriction element. HLA-B2705-restricted influenza virus-specific CTL also recognized HLA-B2703-positive virus-infected cells, and vice versa. Thus, the HLA-B2703 mutation represents an example of a class-I antigen without specific significance for the recognition of viral peptides.

Enhancement of LFA-1-mediated cell adhesion by triggering through CD2 or CD3 on T lymphocytes

The lymphocyte function-associated molecule LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) plays a key part in lymphocyte adhesion. Lymphocytes do not adhere spontaneously; activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol esters, however, gives rise to strong LFA-1-dependent adhesion, indicating that activation of LFA-1 is required to induce cell adhesion. We have now investigated whether the functionally important CD2 and CD3 surface structures on T lymphocytes are involved in the activation of LFA-1. The stimulation of these molecules, which causes activation of PKC, strongly promoted LFA-1-dependent adhesion. Furthermore, we demonstrate by using cells from an LFA-1-deficient patient that this enhanced lymphocyte adhesion is caused by activation of the LFA-1 molecule and not by activation of its ligands. LFA-1 was persistently activated by triggering through CD2 but only transiently by triggering through CD3. We postulate that CD2 and CD3 can differentially regulate the affinity of LFA-1 for its ligands by modulating its molecular conformation through PKC-dependent mechanisms.

Clonal analysis of functionally distinct human CD4+ T cell subsets

A large number of CD4+ T cell clones, obtained from peripheral blood T lymphocytes by direct limiting dilution, allowed us to address the question whether functional heterogeneity exists within the human CD4+ T cell subset. Cytotoxic capacity of cloned T cells was analyzed with the use of anti-CD3 antibodies and target cells bearing FcR for murine IgG. 6 of 12 CD4+ clones obtained were able to lyse Daudi or P815 cells in the presence of anti-CD3 antibodies. The remaining six CD4+ T cell clones tested did not display anti-CD3-mediated cytotoxic activity and did not acquire this cytotoxic capacity during a culture period of 20 wk. In the absence of anti-CD3 mAb, no lytic activity against Daudi, P815, and K562 target cells was observed under normal culture conditions. Phenotypic analysis of these two distinct types of CD4+ T cells did not reveal differences with regard to reactivity with CDw29 (4B4) and CD45R (2H4) mAbs that have been described to recognize antigens associated with helper suppressor/inducer (respectively) CD4+ cells. The CD4+ clones without anti-CD3-mediated cytotoxic activities (Th2) consistently showed a high expression level of CD28 antigens, whereas the cytotoxic clones (Th1) expressed low amounts of CD28. Th1 CD4+ clones did produce IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha/beta, whereas the Th2 T cell clones produced minimal amounts of IL-2 and only low levels of INF-gamma and TNF-alpha/beta in response to anti-CD3 mAbs and PMA. Although not all CD4+ clones did release IL-4, there was no correlation with cytotoxic activity. Moreover, as compared with the Th1 CD4+ clones, Th2 CD4+ T cell clones proliferated moderately in response to immobilized anti-CD3 mAbs. However, proliferation reached the level of the cytotoxic clones when anti-CD28 mABs were present during culture. Both CD4+ subsets provided help for B cell differentiation upon stimulation with anti-CD3 mAbs. Our data suggest that the human CD4+ subset, in analogy to the murine system, comprises two functionally distinct T cell subpopulations, both of which are able to exert helper activity for polyclonal B cell differentiation, but which differ in cytotoxic capacity, lymphokine production, and requirements for proliferation. A function for these two types of T cells in the immune response is discussed.