Antigen-specific and nonspecific mediatiors of T cell/B cell cooperation. II. Two helper T cells distinguished by their antigen sensitivities.

Further evidence is presented for two types of helper T cells in the mouse specific for the protein antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The first cell helps B cells respond to the trinitrophenyl hapten (TNP) coupled to KLH, is primed by relatively high doses of antigen in vivo, and yet the effector cell is stimulated by very low doses of antigen in vitro. The second cell helps B cells respond to a non-cross-reacting antigen, sheep red blood cells, presumably via production of a nonspecific factor. This cell is primed by relatively low doses of antigen in vivo, but the effector cell requires relatively high doses of antigen in vitro. Thus, the two T cell types are differently sensitive to antigen dose, both in priming and challenge. The properties of T cells responding to KLH by proliferation in vitro were also studied. These cells showed the same antigen-sensitivity in vitro, as cells producing nonspecific B cell-stimulating factors.