Abstract
Spleen cells cultured with TNBS-treated stimulator cells or TNP-HGG generate H-2 restricted anti-TNP cytotoxic effector cells. Antigenic determinants recognized by anti-TNP effector cells were analyzed by a cold target competition assay. Three major observations emerged from these studies: 1) Anti-TNP effector cells sensitized against 1 mM TNBS-treated stimulator cells are blocked from killing TNBS-treated target cells by unlabeled TNBS-inhibitor cells but not inhibitor cells coated with TNP-HGG. However, the same effector cells are blocked from killing TNP-HGG-coated target cells by inhibitor cells treated either with TNBS or coated with TNP-HGG. 2) Inhibitor cells exposed to a low concentration of TNBS (0.01 mM) block effector cell activity in a manner similar to TNP-HGG-coated inhibitors. 3) Spleen cells sensitized against TNP-HGG are blocked from killing TNBS-treated target cells by both TNBS-treated and TNP-HGG-inhibitor cells. These results indicate that spleen cells sensitized against TNBS-treated stimulators generate effector cells against two different antigenic specificities; one is immunodominant and (1 mM) TNBS dependent, the second is not. Target cells treated with low concentrations of TNBS (0.01 mM) or coated with TNP-HGG express only the second determinant. It is possible that the (1 mM) TNBS-dependent immunodominant determinant represents TNP covalently coupled to H-2, whereas the second determinant consists of TNP-proteins noncovalently associated with H-2 molecules and may represent a cross-reaction with environmental antigens.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 713-718 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Immunology |
Volume | 124 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - Jan 1 1980 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology