Presentation of viral antigens by human vascular endothelial cells in vitro.

Endothelial cells (EC) separated from the umbilical vein were shown to be free of contaminating monocytes. EC could replace peripheral blood-derived macrophages as antigen-presenting cells for in vivo sensitized T cells towards a variety of viral antigens. The T-cell--CE-antigen response was also specificity inhibited by anti-HLA-DR antisera. T cells primed by antigen together with autologous macrophages could be restimulated by antigen pulsed HLA-D/DR identical EC in an antigen specific secondary response, indicating a similar mechanism for antigen presentation by EC or macrophages.