3 CELL SUBSETS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE TRANSFER OF DELAYED-TYPE HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION BY ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC T-CELL LINES

Antigen (trinitrochlorobenzene)-specific T cell lines were obtained by repeated stimulation of lymph node cells from immune mice with antige n in vitro. These T cell lines, consisting of more than 90% CD4(+) V b eta 8.2(+) and 6 to 9% gamma delta(+) T lymphocytes, transfer contact sensitivity (CS) locally when injected at the same site as the challen ge antigen, but fail to mediate a systemic passive transfer when injec ted iv. Injection of T cell lines together with spleen cells from mice immunized 1 day beforehand (1-day cells) allowed a successful, specif ic systemic transfer of CS, Phenotypic analysis showed that the 1-day immune cell was alpha beta(+), gamma delta(-), sIg(-), CD3(+), CD4(-), CD8(-), CD5(+), B220 (CD45R)(+), Thy 1.2(+). The effect of 1-day immu ne cells occurred through a mechanism involving IL-4, as 1-day immune cells failed to allow systemic transfer of CS by T cell lines in recip ient mice treated with mAb to IL-4. These observations strongly indica te that three cell subsets are required for the systemic passive trans fer of CS by T cell lines: alpha beta(+) CD4(+), gamma delta(+), and a third cell subset, which is CD45R(+), alpha beta(+), CD3(+), but doub le (CD4, CD8) negative. (C) 1997 Academic Press.