IMMORTALIZATION OF MOUSE INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS BY THE SV40-LARGE T-GENE - PHENOTYPIC AND IMMUNE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MODE-K CELL LINE

Intestinal epithelial cells from the mouse small intestine were immort alized by SV40 large T gene transfer through a murine ecotropic virus. The resulting cell lines expressed the SV40 large T mRNA and exhibite d morphological and phenotypic characteristics of normal enterocytes, including intercellular junctions, and expression of cytokeratin, vill in, poly-Ig receptor (i.e., secretory component) and vasoactive intest inal peptide receptors. All expressed cell surface major histocompatib ility complex class I molecules, but cell surface class II antigens we re undetectable. Functional studies on antigen presentation were carri ed out using the MODE-K cell line established from the mouse duodenum. Interferon-gamma treatment of MODE-K cells resulted in a high level o f class II molecule expression, and the ability to process and present native protein antigens to specific CD4+ T-cell hybridomas, via funct ional class II molecules. These data suggest that the MODE-K cell line is a suitable model for the analysis of intestinal epithelial cell fu nction in mucosal immunity.