PHENOTYPIC AND FUNCTIONAL-CHARACTERIZATION OF T-CELL LINES GENERATED FROM COLONOSCOPIC BIOPSY SPECIMENS IN PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

Intestinal T-cell lines were generated from lamina propria mononuclear cells isolated from colonoscopic biopsies in ulcerative colitis patie nts and controls. In both ulcerative colitis and controls, expanded ce lls were constituted largely by T-cell receptor alpha beta(+), CD4(+), CD45RA(-) (helper), and CD8(+), CD11b(-) (cytotoxic) phenotypes. T-ce ll receptor V beta gene usage was not significantly changed after cell expansion and no difference was observed between ulcerative colitis a nd controls. Ulcerative colitis cells, especially those derived from t he patients with long-standing disease, showed significantly higher le vels of cytotoxicity against the target cells, including those of colo nic epithelial origin, and enhanced production of tumor necrosis facto r-alpha and interferon-gamma after short incubation with anti-CD3 anti body. Generation of T-cell lines from colonoscopic biopsy specimens ma y be useful for detailed functional characterization of locally infilt rating T cells in ulcerative colitis patients.