REQUIREMENT FOR CD4(-CELLS IN THE GAMMA-DELTA T-CELL PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSE TO DAUDI BURKITTS-LYMPHOMA() T)

Daudi Burkitt's lymphoma cells stimulate the proliferation of V gamma 2 V delta 2 T cells in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) . Transfection studies have established that the gamma delta T cell re ceptor is sufficient for recognition of a ligand associated with Daudi cells. Since other studies have demonstrated the need for cooperation between alpha beta T cells and V gamma 2 V delta 2 T cells in the pro liferative response to mycobacterial antigens, we used human, unfracti onated PBMC and PBMC depleted of specific T cell subsets to determine whether the gamma delta T cell response to Daudi cells also requires c ooperation between alpha beta and gamma delta T cells. In the current study, we demonstrate that depletion of CD4(+) T cells substantially r educes the overall proliferative response of PBMC to Daudi cells and s ubsequent gamma delta T cell expansion. IL-2 production by PBMC in res ponse to Daudi cells was also decreased by depletion of CD4(+) T cells , but not by depletion of CD8(+) or gamma delta T cells. In the CD4(+) T-cell-depleted PBMC, proliferation in response to Daudi cells was re stored by the addition of IL-2. These data stress the importance of co operation between alpha beta and gamma delta T cells in the response t o some complex antigens. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.