Mittrücker H W, Müller-Fleckenstein I, Fleckenstein B, Fleischer B
First Department of Medicine, University of Mainz, Germany.
Int Immunol. 1993 Aug;5(8):985-90. doi: 10.1093/intimm/5.8.985.
Herpes virus saimiri (HVS), a primate herpes virus, transforms human CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes to continuous growth in vitro. We have previously shown that HVS-transformed human T cells (HVS-T cells) respond to stimulation via CD2 with autocrine growth. In the present study we have investigated the functional characteristics of HVS-T cells. We describe that these cells can perform all the functions of normal T cells, i.e. cytokine secretion, cytotoxicity, and exocytosis of granule esterases. All these activities can be triggered via CD2 by binding to its natural ligand or via the TCR, e.g. by anti-TCR antibodies, by recognition of a bacterial superantigen and by MHC-restricted recognition of specific antigen. The pattern of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins after TCR triggering was identical in HVS-T cells and normal T cells. We conclude that HVS-T cells can respond to TCR-mediated signals with the functions of normal T lymphocytes. Furthermore, HVS-T cells are the only transformed human T cells that can be specifically triggered by cytotoxicity and esterase release. The finding that the TCR functions normally in these cells will make HVS a convenient means to immortalize antigen-specific human T lymphocytes.
猴疱疹病毒（HVS）是一种灵长类疱疹病毒，可使人类CD4 +和CD8 + T淋巴细胞在体外持续生长。我们之前已经表明，HVS转化的人类T细胞（HVS-T细胞）通过CD2以自分泌方式对刺激作出反应并实现生长。在本研究中，我们调查了HVS-T细胞的功能特性。我们发现这些细胞能够执行正常T细胞的所有功能，即细胞因子分泌、细胞毒性以及颗粒酯酶的胞吐作用。所有这些活性都可以通过与天然配体结合的CD2或通过TCR触发，例如通过抗TCR抗体、识别细菌超抗原以及通过MHC限制的特异性抗原识别来触发。TCR触发后酪氨酸磷酸化蛋白的模式在HVS-T细胞和正常T细胞中是相同的。我们得出结论，HVS-T细胞可以通过正常T淋巴细胞的功能对TCR介导的信号作出反应。此外，HVS-T细胞是唯一可通过细胞毒性和酯酶释放被特异性触发的转化人类T细胞。TCR在这些细胞中正常发挥功能这一发现将使HVS成为使抗原特异性人类T淋巴细胞永生化的便捷手段。
