CD4-NODE OF A MELANOMA PATIENT, POSSESS CYTOLYTIC FUNCTION( THO CELL CLONES, ISOLATED FROM A METASTATIC LYMPH)

In the present study T lymphocytes isolated from a metastatic lymph no de (T-LNL) of a melanoma patient have been cloned. In the attempt to v erify whether T-LNL may acquire in vitro functional activities in the absence of tumour-associated antigens, they were cloned utilizing allo geneic lymphocytes as feeder cells. Nineteen clones generated from T-L NL proved to be CD4(+) and, among these, five were able to kill autolo gous and allogeneic human melanoma cells in HLA-class-II-restricted wa y. On the basis of their cytokine production, these CD4(+) cytolytic T -LNL clones were shown to belong to the ThO subset and three of them e xpressed the V beta 17 chain of the T cell receptor. These results sug gest the presence of melanoma-specific but functionally inactive lymph ocytes with T cell receptor oligoclonality in the lymph node environme nt. These specific T cells may acquire in vitro the capacity to kill a utologous and allogeneic tumours without any induction by autologous m elanoma cells.