Analysis of true anti-hapten cytotoxic clones in limit dilution microcultures after correction for "anti-self" activity: precursor frequencies, Ly-2 and Thy-1 phenotype, specificity, and statistical methods.

By the use of split culture techniques we have been able to demonstrate conclusively that the "anti-self" activity and the spontaneous anti-hapten activity within an apparent anti-hapten cytotoxic T cell response is a clonal phenomenon and is not caused by cross-reactivity between anti-self and true anti-hapten clones. With the knowledge of this clonality we have been able formally to prove that the true hapten-generated, hapten-specific response can be obtained by subtracting the response generated by "self" but directed against modified targets from the response generated by modified self and directed against modified targets. Unbiased statistical estimators, which do not make assumptions about the origin (0 responder cells, 100% negative cultures), have been developed to plot accurately limit dilution data (maximal likelihood estimator and minimal chi-square estimator), and the analysis demonstrates that all the components of an apparent anti-hapten response obey zero order (single hit) kinetics. By specifically identifying true anti-hapten and true anti-self clones, we have been able to study the phenotype of their precursors as well as the effectors themselves at the clonal level. Precursors of true anti-hapten and anti-self clones are Thy-1+, Ly-2+. However, anti-hapten and anti-self effector cells show marked clonal variation with respect to Ly-2, as some clones are almost completely insensitive to anti-Ly-2 and complement whereas others show minimal to complete sensitivity. All anti-hapten clones are completely sensitive to anti-Thy-1 and complement, whereas about one-third of anti-self clones show only partial sensitivity, with the most lytic clones showing the most sensitivity. Hapten-specificity and anti-self-specificity have been examined clonally. Ten percent of anti-TNP clones recognize NIP, 10% of anti-NIP clones recognize TNP, and 20% of anti-self clones recognize an allo-target. These figures are in accordance with the overall specificity of effectors generated in bulk culture in the presence of CAS (concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cell conditioned medium). However, hapten specificity and H-2 restriction of bulk generated effectors are improved if CAS is omitted from cultures.