GROWTH TRANSFORMATION OF ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC T-CELL LINES FROM RHESUS-MONKEYS BY HERPESVIRUS-SAIMIRI

This study aims in establishing the in vitro basis for a primate model to evaluate potential applications of H. saimiri-transformed T cells. T cell lines specific for myelin basic protein and streptolysin O wer e derived from rhesus monkeys and transformed to stable antigen-indepe ndent growth with strain G488 of H. saimiri. The transformed T cells f rom rhesus monkeys did not produce infectious virus and harbored the H . saimiri genome exclusively in an episomal form, whereas transformed T cells from the New World monkey Calltithrix jacchus released infecti ous virus. Transformed T cells from rhesus monkeys showed an unaltered surface expression of CD2 and CD3, of the activation markers CD25 and CD69, and of the costimulatory molecule CD80 (B7.1). Remarkably, both transformed and nontransformed T cell lines were largely double-posit ive for CD4 and CD8. In contrast to the parental cell lines, the trans formed cells constitutively expressed major histocompatibility complex -DR antigens and were able to present antigen to each other. The trans formed T cells from rhesus monkeys continued to express a functionally intact T cell receptor and responded to recognition of their antigen with enhanced proliferation and production of Th1-type cytokines. In c onclusion, H. saimiri-transformed rhesus monkey T cells may open a way to primate models for adoptive immunotherapy and studies on the patho genesis of autoaggressive T cells. (C) 1997 Academic Press.