Clonal analysis of T lymphocyte response to an isolated class I disparity.

A bulk primed lymphocyte reagent generated in a class II identical class I (HLA-B) disparate sibling combination demonstrated both cytotoxic [cell mediated lympholysis (CML)] and proliferative [i.e., primed LD (lymphocyte) typing (PLT)] reactivity associated with the class I antigen, Bw62. Cells from this bulk population were plated by limiting dilution and cloned by micromanipulation. Three functional groups of clones were isolated. Some clones derived were found specifically to proliferate to and lyse cells bearing the Bw62 antigen. Based on such reactivities, these clones were analogous to the class of antigen-driven, helper cell independent cytotoxic (HITc) clones previously reported from our laboratories. Other clones responded proliferatively to stimulation by Bw62 positive cells but were not cytotoxic, thus fitting characteristics of Th, although it will be necessary to test such clones for their ability to produce Interleukin 2 (IL-2). In addition, conventional cytotoxic clones which did not proliferative to, but did lyse cells bearing the Bw62 antigen were isolated. The results were consistent with the existence of both HITc and Tc mediated cytotoxicity generated against this isolated class I disparity.