T lymphocyte culture established by repeated stimulation with the autologous lymphoblastoid line. MHC class II restricted interactions with B blasts.

An OKT3+T4+T8-DR+ lymphocyte line was developed from an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seropositive individual by repeated stimulation in vitro with autologous EBV-infected B cells. The T cell population designated E-44 was carried for eight months in the presence of Interleukin-2 and was repeatedly tested for cytotoxicity, proliferation and lymphokine production in response to the autologous and a panel of allogenic B cells. The E-44 cells lysed the autologous lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) and allogenic B cell lines sharing the DR6.1 major histocompatibility complex antigen with the lymphocyte donors. The EBV genome-negative lymphoma line BJAB and its two, infected in vitro, EBV-positive sublines were lysed with similar efficiencies. Autologous Staphylococcus aureus protein A (Prot-A) induced B, but not Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced T blasts were also lysed. It is likely that E-44 recognized an antigenic component derived from the fetal calf serum in association with class II determinants expressed on the B cells. Preincubation of E-44 cells with saturating amounts of OKT3 and Leu3a monoclonal antibodies abrogated the lytic effect on the autologous LCL. Cold target competition experiments demonstrated that, within, the population, the same cells reacted with the autologous Prot-A-induced blasts, the EBV-transformed LCL, and also with Daudi (an EBV genome-positive BL line). Although Daudi was the target which was lysed with the greatest efficiency, the avidity of interaction was highest with the autologous LCL because these cells competed best. Among the cells that were sensitive for the lytic effect, only the autologous LCL and Prot-A-induced B blasts triggered release of detectable amounts of Interleukin-2 and induced proliferation of the culture. The results suggest that the affinity of interaction with the target may be decisive for the triggering of the various T cell functions.