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Studies on the Mechanism of Lymphocyte-Mediated Cytolysis

IX. Relationships Between Antigen Recognition and Lytic Expression in Killer T Cells¹

From the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology of the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine and the O'Neill Memorial Research Laboratories of the Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

Abstract

The relationship between antigen recognition and lytic expression by killer T cells was studied by co-culturing two effector cell populations. When antigen recognition was bidirectional (e.g., b anti-d cells cultured with d anti-b) there was a loss of lytic activity in both populations. In contrast, when antigen recognition was unidirectional (e.g., a anti-d co-cultured with d anti-b) then the loss of lytic activity only occurred in that direction; i.e., there was a marked decline in the d anti-b activity but no change in the a anti-d population.

These studies suggest: i) that mere proximity to a killer cell does not lead to target cell death; ii) that accommodation of the T cell's antigen receptor is necessary for the cell to express its lytic potential; and iii) there is direct linkage between the T cell's antigen receptor site and its killing mechanism.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by Grant AI 10280 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This is communication No. 248 from the O'Neill Memorial Research Laboratories.

² Recipient of Research Career Development Award AI 70393 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.