Activation requirements of cloned inducer T cells. I. Differential inhibition by anti-L3T4 or anti-I-A is determined by the accessory cell population.

We have described a trinitrophenyl (TNP)-specific inducer clone, clone Ly-1-T1, which responds to a variety of different stimuli, including a) soluble TNP-protein conjugates plus syngeneic (H-2d) spleen cells, b) TNP directly coupled to syngeneic or allogeneic spleen cells, and c) activated I-A identical B cells in the absence of nominal antigen. In the present study we used a panel of antibodies to investigate the recognition structures involved in the activation of clone Ly-1-T1 by these different stimuli. We show that allogeneic spleen cells must be conjugated by using relatively high concentrations of TNBS to be efficient stimulators of the clone. In contrast, syngeneic spleen cells conjugated by using a much wider range of concentrations will activate the clone. The response of the clone to TNP-coupled allogeneic spleen cells is inhibited by anti-L3T4 and anti-Ia antibodies. In contrast, stimulation of the clone with syngeneic spleen cells coupled by using the same concentrations of TNBS is not inhibited with either anti-Ia or anti-L3T4 antibody. The inhibition pattern observed with anti-Ia and anti-L3T4 antibodies was also determined by the nature of the accessory population used to present soluble TNP-protein conjugates. Anti-I-Ad antibodies blocked the activation of clone Ly-1-T1 by TNP-protein plus splenic adherent cells, indicating the involvement of polymorphic I-A determinants in this response. Anti-L3T4 antibody had little or no effect on this response, suggesting that a significant L3T4-Ia interaction is not required. Finally, the response of the clone to activated B cells in the presence or absence of TNP-protein is exquisitely sensitive to inhibition by anti-L3T4 as well as anti-I-A antibodies. The data suggest that the requirement for an L3T4-I interaction depends on the combination of antigen and accessory cell type used to stimulate the clone.