CTLA-1 and CTLA-3 serine esterase transcripts are detected mostly in cytotoxic T cells, but not only and not always.

We and other investigators previously reported the cloning of CTLA-1 (or CCP-1) and CTLA-3 (or H Factor) serine esterase-related transcripts preferentially expressed in cytolytic T lymphocytes. We extended the survey of the tissue specificity of these molecules. Two main sets of results were obtained. First, both CTLA-1 and CTLA-3 transcripts could be found in the various cytolytic T cells tested, although in widely different amounts, and in some cases just at the threshold of detection. Secondly, these transcripts were not found in most of the other cells tested, including in some natural cytotoxic cells and in activated cytotoxic macrophages; however, they could be detected in mast cells for CTLA-1 and in some noncytotoxic lymphocytes for CTLA-3. Thus, the CTLA-1 and CTLA-3 serine esterase products are most probably not required for macrophage or natural cytotoxicity; their presence cannot be taken as characteristic of cytotoxic T cells; and a discussion about their relevance to T cell-mediated cytotoxicity should take into account their widely different amounts from one cytotoxic T cell to another.