A cloned T cell line that selectively augments antibody responses of phosphorylcholine-specific B cells bearing the T15 idiotype.

Helper T (Th) cells have shown to be heterogeneous both in their function and in their specificity. Several studies have demonstrated that there exist Th cells which do not appear to be specific for antigen:Ia complexes (not H-2 restricted) but interact with the target B cell via recognition of immunoglobulin idiotypic determinants. In analyzing anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) responses, such idiotype-specific Th cells are characterized by 1) their ability to increase responses to phosphorylcholine by augmenting selectively the activation of T15-idiotype-bearing PC-specific B cells, 2) their ability to bind specifically to T15-bearing immunoglobulin and 3) the dependence of their maturation on circulating T15 idiotype rather than Ia. Our aim is to explore further the relationship between Ia-specific and T15-specific Th cells. These studies describe the first step in comparing specificity and function of idiotype-specific Th cells to other known Th cells by the cloning of a T15-specific Lyl T cell (ThId) with properties consistent with those described for uncloned populations. The cloned ThId cells generated do not activate B cells to secrete antibody but augment anti-PC plaque forming cell (PFC) responses induced by Ia-restricted Th cells. This augmentation is seen only in the T15-bearing PFC responses even though non-T15-bearing B cells are equally accessible, and it is seen only in PC responses and not responses to TNP under identical culture conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)