Membrane characteristics of established human T- and B-cell lines. Cross-reactivity of human T-antigenic determinants with peripheral lymphocytes of non-human primates and the presence of MLC antigens on cultured T-cell lines.

Human T-cell lines (MOLT-4 and SOMMER-T) were injected into rabbits and monkeys (stumptail and squirrel monkeys). Rabbit anti-MOLT serum was absorbed with human liver and cultured B cells. Absorbed anti-MOLT serum was cytotoxic to lymphocytes of baboons and stumptail monkeys. Rabbit anti-MOLT and SOMMER-T sera after absorption with liver and B cell showed florescent ring formation in baboon and stumptail lymphocytes by using immunoflurescence techniques. On the other hand, antisera against MOLT and SOMMER-T cells in stumptail and squirrel monkeys were not only cytotoxic to MOLT and SOMMER-T cells, but also to other T-cell lines, CCRF-CEM and CCRF-HSB-2 cells. Cultured B-cell lines stimulated allogeneic and xenogeneic (rabbit and monkeys) lymphocytes far better than cultured T-cells lines did. T-cell lines, CCRF-HSB-2 and SOMMER-T (number 8402), gave small but significant stimulation to allogenic lymphocytes especially in the presence of foetal calf serum. MOLT-4B failed to stimulatie allogeneic lymphocytes. When lymphocytes of non-human primates and rabbit were cultured with human B- and T-cell lines in the presence of foetal calf serum, CCRF-HSB-2 and SOMMER-T cells stimulated xenogeneic lymphocytes of rabbit, squirrel monkey and stumptail monkey. MOLT-4 cells stimulated lymphocytes of baboon to some extent. These results indicate that although cultured B-cell lines had more mixed lyphocyte reaction (MLR) stimulating structure than T-cell lines, the latter still maintained some stimulating structure on the membrances.