Induction of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper but not T-cytotoxic response is dependent on the source of antigen-presenting cell.

We studied the accessory cell requirements for triggering in vivo primed human major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T cells specific for minor histocompatibility antigens. We compared the antigen-presenting capacities of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs), both derived from the same donor, to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific cytotoxic and proliferative T cells. PBLs and EBV-LCLs were equally effective as antigen-presenting cells to trigger cytotoxic-T-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens, some of which were reactive with B cells only. In contrast, a clear difference was found between the capacities of the two antigen-presenting cell types to induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T-helper-cell responses. PBLs as antigen-presenting cells could induce T-helper-cell lines reactive against minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs, on EBV-LCLs, or on both cell types as stimulator cells. Unexpectedly, however, EBV-LCLs as antigen-presenting cells in all instances failed to induce T-helper-cell responses specific for minor histocompatibility antigens presented on PBLs or on both PBLs and EBV-LCLs as stimulator cells and could only trigger T-helper cells directed against B-cell-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. Our findings indicate a dichotomy in the capacity of EBV-LCLs to present minor histocompatibility antigens in the induction versus the effector phse of the in vitro T-helper-cell response. Furthermore, the results show different in vitro accessory cell requirements for major histocompatibility complex class I- and class II-restricted T-cell responses specific for human minor histocompatibility antigens.