Search

We have studied the proteolytic activity of TSP-1, a tissue-specific serine proteinase expressed by activated murine T cells, on human plasma fibronectin and have investigated by affinity chromatography the biological activity of the polypeptides released after limited proteolysis. A Mr approximately 2.9 x 10(4) peptide bound to denatured collagen (gelatine) but not to heparin, a Mr approximately 3.0 x 10(4) fragment contained heparin-binding but not collagen-binding sites and a third Mr approximately 3.5 x 10(4) peptide did not express either of the two activities. All larger fragments - an array of five to six polypeptides with relative molecular masses between 15 x 10(4) and 19 x 10(4) - were bound to heparin-Sepharose but not to gelatine-Sepharose and could be eluted with high salt concentration. These data confirm recent results suggesting multiple, proteinase-resistant domains with discrete biological functions within fibronectins. The release of small, biologically active fibronectin fragments by TSP-1, an enzyme specifically released by activated T cells upon contact with antigen, suggests a role for this enzyme in the numerous cellular functions elicited by T lymphocytes in vivo.

This study describes the biochemical characterization, genetic variation, and linkage of a codominantly inherited murine esterase, termed ES-18. The enzyme was identified by isoelectric focusing of supernatants obtained after centrifugation of tissue homogenates and subsequent staining for esterase using either alpha-naphthyl acetate or 4-methylumbelliferyl elaidate as substrate. ES-18 exhibited an organ-specific variation of the intensity pattern of bands as seen in kidney, spleen, and macrophages, respectively. Its activity was highly sensitive to inhibition by 1 mmol.liter-1 p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate but was resistant to bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Four allozymes could be distinguished in kidney supernatants obtained from the inbred strains C57BL/10Sn (ES-18A), MOLF/Ei (ES-18B), WLL/BrA (ES-18C), and CAST/Ei (ES-18D). The enzyme is shown to be controlled by a structural locus, Es-18, which resides on chromosome 19. The gene order Ly-1 - Got-1 - 4.7 +/- 1.6 - Es-18 is suggested.

In this study we report that cloned Thy-1+, L3T4-, Lyt-1-, Lyt-2+, H-Y-specific and H-2Db-restricted cytotoxic T cell lines (CTLL) when induced by lectin or antigen secrete a soluble mediator(s) (SF) that inhibits proliferation and generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). The biological activity was separable by gel filtration and appeared as a broad peak in the molecular mass range between 10 000 and 50 000 kDa. It was found that the suppressive activity released by CTLL neither strictly correlates with their cytotoxic potential nor with their ability to produce immune interferon or lymphotoxin. SF was shown to elicit its activity in an antigen-nonspecific manner in that it suppressed the maturation of T lymphocytes responding to both, the appropriate H-Y antigen as well as to unrelated H-2d alloantigens or to the hapten 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl (TNP). The effect of SF on CTL responses was most pronounced in early phases of primary or secondary MLC. When analyzed for its inhibitory activity on precursor cells in populations selected for either Lyt-2- or L3T4- lymphocytes, it was found that SF interfered with the maturation of both subsets. The inhibition of CTL responses elicited by SF could not be reversed by the addition of exogenous interleukin 2. The finding that SF also inhibited the proliferation of some but not all antigen-dependent cloned T cells with helper or cytotoxic potential provides evidence that the factor also may regulate effector lymphocytes. In addition, the results support the assumption that SF exerts its effect directly on the responder rather than the stimulator population, and demonstrate that the development of CTL from their precursor cells is controlled at least in part by the cytotoxic effector cells themselves via a soluble factor(s) that interferes with distinct stages of T cell maturation. These findings again emphasize the expression of multiple functions by CTL and indicate their possible role during the course of an immune response by their capability to eliminate target cells and to secrete a soluble product(s) that mediates feedback control.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with specificity for the T cell-associated serine proteinase-1 of the mouse (MTSP-1) were used to study expression and storage of this enzyme in T lymphocytes during lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus infection in vivo. Immunohistochemical analysis of splenic tissue at the peak of LCM virus-specific T cell-mediated cytolytic responses, i.e., at day 7 post infection, revealed high numbers of MTSP-1+ T lymphocytes in the interfollicular T cell-dependent area of the spleen. More than 50% of Ly-2+(CD8+) cells but only low numbers of Ly-2-(CD8-) cells, previously enriched by flow cytofluorometry, contained large amounts of cytoplasmic granules which stained both with MTSP-1-specific mAb and the esterase substrate N-alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine thiobenzyl ester. These data demonstrate that in vivo generated LCM virus-induced cytolytic T lymphocytes develop cytoplasmic storage granules containing MTSP-1 and suggest that the mechanism of granule exocytosis is operative in vivo; possibly MTSP-1 is one effector molecule participating in the Ly-2+(CD8+) T lymphocyte-mediated control of virus infection.

We have investigated a proteinase inhibitor, designed according to the preferred amino acid sequence that is cleaved by the murine T-cell specific serine proteinase 1 (TSP-1) for its effect on the cytolytic potential of cloned cytotoxic T-cell lines (CTLL) and of cytoplasmic granules, derived from these cells. Pretreatment of effector cells with H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-chloromethyl-ketone (PFR-CK) prior to the cytotoxicity assay did not result in inhibition of cytolytic activity of three independent CTLL and did not effect their granule-associated TSP-1 activity after extraction with Triton X-100. Furthermore, PFR-CK did not interfere with cytolysis of target cells by CTLL when present for the entire incubation period. In contrast, PFR-CK inhibited in a dose-dependent manner both TSP-1 activity and the hemolytic/cytolytic potential of isolated cytoplasmic granules after their pretreatment with high-salt concentration. We interpret these results to mean that cytolysis of target cells by CTLL involves the granule-associated proteinase TSP-1, which probably becomes active upon exocytosis following effector-target cell interactions.

The T cell serine proteinase-1 (TSP-1) which most probably is involved in cell killing by cytotoxic T cells is inhibited by protease nexin-1 (PN-1), an extravascular serine protease inhibitor. The inhibition is irreversible and correlates with formation of SDS-stable complexes between the two proteins. Two distinct species of complexes (91 and 122 kDa) are observed upon SDS-PAGE analysis of the reacted proteins, indicating that PN-1 is capable of complexing and inhibiting both subunits of the homodimeric TSP-1 molecule. Heparin (2 micrograms/ml) increases the association rate constant from 4.2 x 10(4) M-1 sec-1 to 4.8 x 10(5) M-1 sec-1. These observations suggest that PN-1 may function as a major extravascular inhibitor of TSP-1 released from cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes responsible for the production of IFN-gamma (immune interferon) in primary and secondary mixed lymphocyte reactions have been characterized with antisera specific for the Lyt-1,2,3 and Qat-5 alloantigens. A comparison was made between selected T cell subsets with respect to their ability to proliferate, generate cytolytic activity and produce IFN-gamma in response to H-2 alloantigens. The data indicate that (a) in primary mixed lymphocyte reactions, IFN-gamma is produced by Lyt-1+, Qat-5+ and by Lyt-123+, Qat-5+ T cells, (b) in secondary mixed lymphocyte reactions, an additional T cell subset, which is Lyt-23+, Qat-5-, participates in the generation of IFN-gamma and (c) the production of IFN-gamma does not correlate with either proliferation or the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes.

Lyt-123/23 and Lyt-1 T cell subsets, positively selected by separation on the fluorescence-activated cell sorter, were tested in vitro for their role in the generation of H-2-restricted and alloreactive cytotoxic T cells. It is shown that in the proliferation assay, both T cell subsets responded equally well to H-2 and non-H-2 antigens (H-Y), respectively. In contrast, none of the selected Lyt subsets, but only the mixed population containing Lyt-1 and Lyt-123/23 lymphocytes gave rise to both H-2-restricted (anti H-Y, anti-trinitrophenyl) and alloreactive (anti-H-2) cytotoxic lymphocytes. The data imply an essential role of Lyt-1 cells as inducers or helpers in the generation of all cytotoxic lymphocytes from their precursors in the Lyt-123/23 pool.

Transfection of cells with the H-2Kk gene lacking the transmembrane and cytoplasmic segments resulted in secretion of the H-2Kk protein, as determined by immunoprecipitation with monoclonal anti-H-2Kk antibodies. Transgenic (H-2b X H-2d)F1 mice were established carrying integrated copies of the modified H-2Kk gene. Expression of the soluble H-2Kk antigen in the transgenic mice was demonstrated in cell supernatants of biosynthetically labeled splenic and thymic Con A blasts as well as bone marrow-derived macrophages. Soluble H-2Kk molecules were also present in the sera of the transgenic animals. No cell-surface expression of the H-2Kk antigen could be observed. In spite of the presence of the soluble H-2Kk molecules in the transgenic mice, the animals were able to generate H-2Kk-specific cytolytic T cells as well as antibody responses when stimulated with cell-surface-bound H-2Kk antigens. These responses were indistinguishable from those of the nontransgenic littermates. Possible explanations for the observed lack of tolerance are discussed.

This study investigated the requirements for lymphokines derived by recombinant (rec.) DNA technology for the induction of growth and maturation in highly purified lectin reactive T cell subsets. Nylon purified C57BL/6 lymph node T cells were treated with monoclonal anti-Lyt-2.2 or anti-L3T4 antibodies and fluorescence labeled (FITC) anti-immunoglobulin antibodies and were positively selected into Lyt-2+ (L3T4-) and Lyt-2- (L3T4+) lymphocyte subsets using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Sorted T lymphocytes, which were devoid of accessory cells were incubated either in bulk culture (2 X 10(2) - 3 X 10(4) cells/microculture) or under limiting dilution conditions (2.5-1,000 cells/well) with lectin (Concanavalin A, Leukoagglutinin) and rec. human Interleukin 2 (rec. hIL-2) and/or rec. mouse Interferon gamma (rec. mIFN-gamma). The data show that Lyt-2+ lymphocytes respond to lectin and rec. hIL-2 with growth and development of cytolytic activity in the absence of other exogenous factor(s) or accessory cells. The presence of monoclonal antibodies to the Interleukin 2 receptor during the sensitization phase ablated the induction of Con A reactive precursor cells of cytolytic lymphocytes (CTL-P) by either rec. hIL-2 or conventional IL-2 containing lymphokine sources, indicating the essential role of IL-2 during activation of Lyt-2+ T lymphocytes. In contrast, Lyt-2- lymphocytes could not be induced by lectin and rec. hIL-2 alone for proliferation and always required the presence of accessory cells for significant growth. Exogenous rec. m IFN gamma was unable to induce growth and cytolytic activity in Con A reactive Lyt-2+ cells and did not significantly effect their response to rec. hIL-2. Limiting dilution experiments revealed that 10-16% of the Lyt-2+ lymphocytes responded to Con A and rec. hIL-2 with growth (GTL-P). The frequencies of CTL-P, determined under similar conditions, were always lower compared to GTL-P. However the results suggest that the differences observed between both precursor populations is due to differential sensitivity of the detection system rather than to the recruitment of distinct T cell subsets. Furthermore, it was shown that at least 50% of lectin reactive CTL-P were induced by rec. hIL-2 to secrete IFN-gamma under optimal conditions. The finding that some of the conventional lymphokine sources were superior to rec. hIL-2 in the induction of growth and cytolytic activity suggests the existence of mediators distinct from IL-2 that regulate the expansion of CTL-P.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Inbred strains of mice can be classified into high and low responders with respect to their antibody responses to RBC. In this paper, we investigate the cellular basis of the difference in responsiveness between high- and low-responder strains. In cell-mixing experiments with purified B cells, T cells, and macrophages from 2 different combinations of H-2-identical high- and low-responder strains, we find that the B cells determine high and low responsiveness, whereas T cells and macrophages from low responders function equally as well as those of high responders. We could also exclude that suppressor T cells play an important role in determining high and low responsiveness. It is therefore suggested that low responsiveness is a defect of B cells to become activated in a T helper cell-dependent antibody response. In the previous paper of this series we showed that a limited number of genes (possibly 2), 1 linked to the Igh gene complex and the other(s) of unknown linkage, control the level of responsiveness. Taken together, we think that this represents a novel example of a genetic polymorphism in B cell function that is sufficiently simple, genetically and functionally, to provide a genetic approach to the study of B cell activation.

The T lymphocytes from mice recovering from infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus were selected for subclasses by treatment with anti-Lyt antisera and complement. Lyt-23 cells and mixtures of lyt-1 and Lyt-23 cells caused up to one-half the destruction of cultivated target cells as compared with untreated T lymphocytes; Lyt-1 cells alone were not cytotoxic. Selected and unselected spleen T cells were also inoculated intravenously into previously infected mice. Whereas unselected cells reduced infectious virus in the spleens of the recipients approximately 100-fold, only marginal effects, which were not preferentially associated with one particular subclass, were seen with selected LYT-23 or Lyt-1 lymphocytes or a mixture of both. Apparently the Lyt-23 cells, shown to by cytolytic for infected cells in vitro, did not cause elimination of a measurable quantity of the virus from mice.

This study describes the localization of the previously purified T cell-specific serine proteinase, termed TSP-1 (M. M. Simon et al., EMBO J. 1986. 5: 3267), within cytoplasmic granules of cytolytic T cell lines (CTLL). Subcellular fractionation of disintegrated CTLL (ruptured by nitrogen cavitation) was accomplished by Percoll density gradient centrifugation of cell lysates (postnuclear supernatant). Individual fractions were tested for proteinase activity on chromogenic peptide substrates and for the presence of TSP-1 by Western blot analysis. In addition, each fraction was assayed for cytolytic activity against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), for protein and for additional marker enzymes to assess the enrichment for cellular organells. All serine enzyme-type molecules including TSP-1 expressed by CTLL were identified by labeling cell lysates or gradient fractions with the serine proteinase-specific affinity ligand tritiated diisopropyl fluorophosphate [( 3H]DFP) in the presence or in the absence of class-specific or enzyme-specific proteinase inhibitors and subsequent sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The data demonstrate that the Percoll gradient fraction, which was shown by morphological examination in the electron microscope to be highly enriched for cytoplasmic granules, also contained greater than 80% of proteinase activity in addition to the granule-associated structures cytolysin and arylsulfatase. The identity of the granule-associated proteinase in two independent cell lines, CTLL HY3-Ag3 and CTLL 1.D.9, with the serine proteinase TSP-1 is indicated by its specificity for the chromogenic substrate H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-p-nitroanilide, its sensitivity to class-specific as well as TSP-1-specific enzyme inhibitors and by its reactivity with a polyvalent TSP-1-specific rabbit antiserum. Both CTLL contain a [3H]DFP-labeled protein that migrates with a molecular mass of 60 kDa under nonreducing conditions and with 30 kDa under reducing conditions and which can be inactivated by the TSP-1-specific inhibitor H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-chloromethylketone. CTLL HY3-Ag3 (a long-term culture CTLL with natural killer-like activity) but not CTLL 1.D.9 (an antigen-specific short-term cultured CTLL) express in addition a further [3H]DFP-binding protein which migrates with 27 kDa under nonreducing or reducing conditions. No substrate specificity was found for this molecule. The possible function of the granule-associated serine proteinase TSP-1 is discussed.

Wild-type and congenitally athymic nude mice injected with herpes-simplex virus type 2 (HSV 2) responded with a local outburst of non-antigen-specific killer cells masking any virus-specific response. Cytolytic activity could be assayed on mouse-tumor cell lines and on syngeneic or allogeneic non-transformed cells from various sources. Some of the tumor cell lines and proteose-peptone-induced peritoneal exudate cells were lysed more efficiently after infection with either HSV 2, vaccinia or influenza A virus. Preference for virus-infected target cells was already expressed 24 hours after HSV-2 injection. Killing activity was not H-2-restricted, not complement- or immunoglobulin-dependent and did not involve Fc receptors. The cytotoxic cells were non-adherent and could be shown to express Thy1, Quat4, and Quat4 cell-surface antigens. They lacked immunoglobulin and Lyt1: Lyt2,3 determinants. The functional and serological characteristics identify the HSV-2-induced cytolytic cells as natural killer (NK) cells. The potential importance of this cell population for natural resistance will be discussed.

This report describes the distribution of a trypsin-like proteinase in defined homogeneous cytolytic T-cell lines (CTLL) and their in vitro and in vivo derived malignant T-lymphoma variants. By means of chromogenic peptide substrates, we found the enzyme to attack preferentially at the carboxy terminus of arginine, in particular when non-polar amino acids were present in the amino terminal neighbouring position. The enzyme was identified by means of various inhibitors as a serine type proteinase having a pH optimum around 8 X 5. Affinity chromatography in connection with molecular sieving resulted in a 200-fold purification and indicated a molecular weight (MW) of about 50,000 for the proteinase. The enzyme was found to be highly expressed in antigen-specific CTLL as well as in their tumorigenic variants. Both intact lymphocytes of all CTLL tested and Triton X-100 lysates or enriched proteinase preparations thereof were able to degrade a high molecular weight protein (casein) and to release high molecular weight split products from the sulphated proteoglycans in subendothelial extracellular matrix. The results are discussed with respect to the invasiveness of normal and malignant T lymphocytes and the proteinase is suggested to be crucially involved in the process of cellular migration in vivo.

In the spleens of C57BL/6J (B6) and CBA/J (CBA) mice undergoing acute infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus, lymphocytes with the ability to develop in vitro into LCM virus-specific cytolytic clones were enumerated by use of the limiting dilution method. At intervals after virus inoculation, defined numbers of cells were cultivated with virus-infected syngeneic stimulator cells and T cell growth factor in multiple wells of microculture plates. After 7 days, individual cell cultures were tested for their ability to cause release of 51Cr from infected and uninfected syngeneic target cells. In cultures seeded with spleen cells from uninfected mice or from mice infected 3 days previously, no cytolytic activity was observed. On day 5, cells developing into LCM virus-specific cytolytic effector cells were detected. They rose in numbers, and on days 8 to 9 after infection, values of approximately 1/10 and 1/200 in B6 and CBA mice, respectively, were calculated. A low proportion of microcultures proved cytolytic also for noninfected syngeneic target cells, but the counts thus released were consistently much lower than the counts set free from infected targets, and no regular dose-response relationships existed between seeded cells and positive cultures. Determination of cell surface antigens of responder cells by negative and positive selection procedures disclosed that they were predominantly T lymphocytes and expressed Lyt-2 but not L3T4 surface markers. Lysis by the great majority of LCM virus-specific clones was restricted by products of the major histocompatibility gene complex (MHC), but a few lysed, in addition, allogeneic infected or uninfected targets; however, a consistent pattern of alloreactivity was not observed. Furthermore, cells of a proportion of the cultures also lysed uninfected YAC cells. Probably this natural killer-like activity was acquired by T lymphocytes during prolonged cultivation. We conclude that most spleen cells that during acute infection with LCM virus attained the ability to develop in vitro into LCM virus-specific cytolytic clones were derived from MHC-restricted Lyt-2+, L3T4- antigen-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes and their activated precursors.

Recent studies have shown that activated T cells possess cytoplasmic granules containing a serine proteinase. In this article Michael Kramer and Markus Simon suggest that the regulated release of this enzyme has an important part to play in the activities of T cells, such as B-cell regulation, cytolysis and migration., (Copyright © 1987. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In spite of many promising attempts to apply T cell clones to questions of in vitro and in vivo function of T cells it is still unclear to what extent continuous propagation of T lymphocytes in vitro effects their original properties. This study describes the appearance of malignant cells from long-term cultured C57BL/6 (B6) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Four out of five T cell lines (CTLL.1,3,4,5) representing distinct stages of development of T effector cells in vitro were repeatedly cloned and all five CTLL were tested for various cellular parameters. It is shown that transformation of H-Y-specific CTLL into malignant cells in vitro was accompanied by alterations in growth characteristics, successive loss of specificity and cytolytic function and by quantitative changes in the expression of cell surface markers. Whereas growth of the H-Y-specific CTLL (CTLL.1) was dependent on antigen and concanavalin A (Con A) supernatant (Con ASN) the CTLL variants could be either maintained in Con ASN alone (CTLL.3) or in the absence of both antigen and lymphokine sources (CTLL.4,5). CTLL.1 was cytolytic for male B6 target cells and lysed P815 tumor targets in the presence but not the absence of lectin. In contrast, CTLL.3 lost its original specificity but lysed P815 cells in the absence or presence of lectin. CTLL.2 representing an intermediary stage showed cytolytic activity on both male B6 and P815 target cells. In contrast, CTLL.4 and CTLL.5 lost the ability to lyse any of the indicated target cells. Although all CTLL expressed the surface markers Thy-1, Lyt-2, Kb, Db and interleukin 2 receptor (IL 2 R), Thy-1 and Lyt-2 markers were drastically reduced and Kb/Db and IL 2 R structures significantly increased on CTLL.4 and CTLL.5 compared to CTLL.1,2,3. In addition, multiple karyotypic alterations including the appearance of metacentric chromosomes were observed in long-term cultured CTLL. Investigations on the expression of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-chains of the T cell antigen receptor in CTLL.1-5 indicate that all three chains were expressed as mRNA irrespective of whether the lymphocytes expressed their original specificity and/or function. However, distinct beta variable chain genes were used by H-Y-specific CTLL and its long-term culture variants CTLL.2 and CTLL.3 suggesting that the expression of the new specificity was accompanied by the rearrangement of a new beta-chain gene in T effector cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Two different limiting dilution systems have been applied to compare precursor frequencies of alloreactive cytotoxic T cells (CTL-P) in the polyclonally and specifically activated lymphocyte populations and in selected Lyt T cell subsets. Both systems make use of T cell growth factor for T cell expansion but differ with respect to the activation step in that lymphocytes are either activated directly with allogenetic stimulator cells or are sensitized polyclonally with concanavalin A (Con A) in bulk culture before their expansion under limiting dilution conditions. In polyclonally activated C57BL/6 lymphocyte populations, two types of CTL-P specific for H-2d alloantigens could be identified: a frequent set with a frequency of 1/100-1/300, and a rare set with a frequency of 1/2,000-1/8,000. In contrast, only a single CTL-P set was found in specifically activated populations with a frequency similar to that of the frequent CTL-P found on Con A blasts. In Con A blasts, the frequent at higher cell concentrations by suppressor T cells, whereas rare CTL-P were insensitive to this suppressive mechanism. Whereas in specifically activated T cells, the predominant CTL-P phenotype was Lyt-123, the predominant Lyt phenotypes for the frequent and the rare CTL-P found in Con A blasts were Lyt-123 and Lyt-123, respectively, which suggests that they represent primary and secondary CTL-P, respectively. The results are discussed with respect to previous reports on the involvement of Lyt T cell subsets in the generation of cytotoxic responses and their regulation by T suppressor cells.

Monoclonal anti-Qat-4 and anti-Qat-5 antibodies, which define antigens expressed on peripheral T cell subsets, have been used to study the phenotypes of alloreactive and H-2-restricted cytotoxic effector cells and their precursors. Depletion of Qat-4+ or Qat-5% cells from the T cell pool prior to their sensitization in bulk cultures prevented the development of alloreactive and H-2-restricted cytotoxic activities in the selected populations. No reconstitution of cytolytic activities to normal levels was obtained when mixtures of Qat-4- and Qat-5- cells were sensitized in bulk cultures to H-2 or non-H-2 antigens. Sensitization of limiting numbers of Qat-4- or Qat-5- lymphocytes under optimal conditions for help (interleukin 2), with the appropriated antigens (H-2 or H-Y) did not result in the generation of cytotoxic T cells, indicating that the majority of all cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) precursors are Qat-4+, Qat-5+. When CTL effector populations were treated with the antisera and complement (C) at their maximum CTL activity, it was found that H-2-restricted CTL were totally eliminated by anti-Qat-4 and considerably reduced by anti-Qat-5 antisera and C. In contrast, alloreactive CTL effector cells were insensitive to anti-Qat-4 and to anti-Qat-5 plus C. Although alloreactive CTL effector populations regained some Qat-4 antigens during further in vitro culture, it was shown that H-2-restricted CTL were at all times more sensitive to anti-Qat-4 than were alloreactive CTL. The findings suggest that during maturation of alloreactive and H-2-restricted CTL from their precursors, both alloantigens undergo differential quantitative variations in their expression that lead to different Qat-4,5 phenotypes of alloreactive and H-2-restricted CTL.

We describe the purification of a T cell specific serine proteinase derived from a cloned murine cytolytic T lymphocyte line. Analysis of the enzyme by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a mol. wt of approximately 60 kd under non-reducing conditions and of approximately 30 kd under reducing conditions. The proteinase cleaves the model peptide substrate H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-NA, at the 4 nitroanilide (NA) group with high efficiency. Much lower or no activity of the enzyme is found against synthetic peptide substrates carrying other amino acid (AA) sequences at position P2, P3 adjacent to L-arginine or against substrates in which AA other than L-arginine are bound to the NA group. Optimal pH for the cleavage of H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-NA is in the range of 8.0-8.5. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by inhibitors of serine proteinases, diisopropylfluorophosphate, phenylmethane-sulfonyl fluoride, m-aminobenzamidine, aprotinin, and leupeptin but not by inhibitors of either thiol-, metallo- or carboxyl-proteinases. We propose the designation TSP-1 (T-cell derived serine proteinase 1) for this enzyme. TSP-1 has the capacity to stimulate B lymphocytes for proliferation in the absence of antigen.

Specific anti-Lyt antisera and complement were used to determine the Lyt phenotype of peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes from Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice. It was found that Lyt 123+ T cells are crucially involved both in protection against listerial infection and in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to listerial antigens. Thus, both functions critically depend on a T-cell subclass phenotypically different from that which mediates DTH to noninfectious antigens and help in antibody formation on the one hand, as well as those T cells mediating cytotoxic reactions on the other.

A novel proteinase, termed human T cell-associated serine proteinase (HuTSP), has been highly purified from a human CD8+ T lymphocyte clone. By using a panel of chromogenic model peptide substrates the enzyme was found to specifically recognize L-arginine and to cleave Tos-Gly-Pro-Arg-nitroanilide with high efficiency at a pH optimum of 10.5-11. Exposure to class-specific proteinase inhibitors revealed that HuTSP is a serine endopeptidase. The enzyme has a mol. mass of approximately 50 kDa (non-reduced) and of approximately 25-30 kDa (reduced) when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggesting HuTSP to be a disulfide-linked dimer. The enzyme is shown to be inducible by lectin in both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. Moreover, HuTSP was detected in a number of independent CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones and was found to be released from effector cells upon ligand binding to the CD3-T cell receptor complex.

Recently, we and others reported on the expression of a serine proteinase in long-term cultured murine T lymphocyte cell lines. In an attempt to explore the distribution and possible regulation of this enzyme in T lymphocyte subsets, we performed the presented detailed study. We found that the proteinase is not expressed by thymocytes and resting T cells but can be induced by lectin or antigen in combination with lymphokine sources in vitro in macrophage-depleted unselected T cells as well as in both T cell subsets (Lyt-2+,L3T4- and Lyt-2-,L3T4+) separated by flow cytofluorometry. Furthermore, it appears that cell-associated proteinase activity is increasing with prolonged culture period of sensitized T lymphocytes and that it is higher in antigen-activated as compared to lectin-activated T cells. When tested for substrate specificity the T cell-associated proteinase was shown to preferentially cleave model peptide substrates carrying L-arginine at position P1 in combination with nonpolar amino acids at position P2 and P3. As concluded from its sensitivity to proteinase inhibitors the enzyme can be classified as a serine proteinase and by molecular sieving at high ionic strength it was shown to have a mol. mass of approximately 50-60 kDa. Analysis of in vivo activated T cells revealed that this particular proteinase was expressed in flow cytofluorometry sorted lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific Lyt-2+,L3T4- cytolytic T lymphocytes but not in Lyt-2-,L3T4+ T cells presensitized with either Listeria monocytogenes or I-A alloantigens. The data demonstrate that the two T cell subsets (Lyt-2+,L3T4-; Lyt-2-,L3T4+) have distinct in vitro induction requirements for the expression of proteinase and that after activation of T cells in vivo the enzyme is preferentially associated with Lyt-2+,L3T4- effector cells.

TSP-1, a murine T cell specific proteinase, is expressed in cytolytic T lymphocytes and secreted upon their interaction with antigen bearing target cells. In searching for possible extracellular substrates of the enzyme in the physiological environment of cytolytic effector cells, we have investigated the proteolytic activity of TSP-1 on retroviral proteins. It is shown that reverse transcriptase derived from the retrovirus Moloney murine leukemia virus is inactivated by TSP-1 via limited proteolysis. The data suggest the possibility that cytolytic T lymphocytes are able to interfere with retroviral replication by secreting a serine proteinase which degrades viral proteins.

Mixed responder populations, consisting of selected Lyt-2,3+ cells and unselected T cells from two congenic mouse strains differing in their Lyt-2,3 alleles, were used to study the role of Lyt-1,2,3+ cells in the generation of cytotoxic effector cells in vitro. The fact that, under these conditions, all primary alloreactive and H-2-restricted killer cells ar generated from the unselected T cell population and not from the selected Lyt-2,3+ subset is demonstrated. Isolated, unsensitized Lyt-2,3+ cells are able to produce primary alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) when incubated with alloantigen alone, but appear to be suppressed in the pesence of Lyt-1,2,3+ cells. In contrast, mixtures of Lyt-2,3+ cells selected from C57BL/6 T cells previously primed to alloantigen in vitro, and unselected T cells from the Lyt-2,3-congenic partner after exposure to the same antigen give rise to cytotoxic effector cells which derive mainly from the primed Lyt-2,3+ cell pool and not from the unselected T cell population. Both populations were able to generate CTL when sensitized separately with the alloantigen. The data suggest that Lyt-1,2,3+ cells contain all primary precursors for both H-2 restricted and alloreactive killer cells, as well as lymphocytes suppressing the formation of cytotoxic effector cells from unsensitized Lyt-2,3+ cells. The Lyt-2,3+ cell pool most likely contains the secondary CTL precursors. In addition, the same antigen-primed Lyt-2,3+ pool contains suppressor cells which inhibit the formation of primary CTL from Lyt-1,2,3+ cells. The data are discussed with respect to the regulation of cytotoxic responses.

We report that the spirochete B. burgdorferi induces progressive polyarthritis and carditis in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (scid) but not in normal C.B-17 mice. The onset and severity of the disease were dependent on (a) the viability; (b) the infectivity; and (c) the dose of inoculated B. burgdorferi organisms. Infective spirochetes were isolated from both blood and joints of inoculated scid mice. These findings suggest that B. burgdorferi-induced chronic arthritis and carditis in mice develops independently of lymphocyte function and makes the scid mouse an attractive laboratory model to study the role of the immune system in experimental Lyme Borreliosis.

For analysis of the role of immune T cells in protective immunity against murine malaria, Plasmodium yoelii-immune Lyt T-cell subsets were functionally characterized in vitro and in vivo. Selected Lyt2- and Lyt2+ T cells from P. yoelii-immune C57BL/10 mice differed in their capability to proliferate in response to P. yoelii antigen in vitro. Only the Lyt2- T-cell population produced T-cell growth factor upon restimulation, and none of the selected T-cell subsets produced detectable amounts of macrophage activating factor. Lyt2- but not Lyt2+ lymphocytes were capable of transferring protection to normal C57BL/10 mice. When transferred into T-cell-deficient C57BL/6-nu/nu mice, adoptive resistance to P. yoelii by Lyt2- lymphocytes was only demonstrable after prior reconstitution of recipients with normal T cells. These results suggest an interaction between P. yoelii-immune Lyt2- T cells and normal T lymphocytes via T-cell growth factor in the development of protective immunity to malaria.

Interactions of peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes from listeria-immune mice with macrophages from normal mice in the presence of heat-killed listeriae result in the induction of interleukins. The data show that Ly 1+, 23- T cells specific for listeria antigens are essential for interleukin induction and make it likely that, in addition, Ly 1+, 23+ T cells are required for optimal responses.

A limiting dilution system has been applied to compare precursor frequencies of proliferating T lymphocytes (PTL-P), of T-cell growth factor-secreting T cells (TTCGF-P), and of cytotoxic T cells (CTL-P) in lymphocyte populations of aged, MRL/MP-lpr/lpr (MRL-lpr) mice and the congeneic strain MRL/MP- +/+ (MRL-n,), or the H-2k-compatible strains AKR/N and B10.BR responding to the mitogen concanavalin (ConA), to alloantigens (H-2) or to trinitrophenol (TNP)-modified syngeneic cells. In lymph node and spleen populations of 3- to 8-month-old MRL-lpr mice, the frequencies of H-2d- or ConA-reactive PTL-P and TTCGF-P, and of CTL-P sensitive to either H-2d, TNP, or ConA stimuli were between 5 to 30 times lower than in the corresponding populations of the other three strains. Furthermore, the frequencies of CTL-P progressively decreased in MRL-lpr mice from 3 to 8 months of age. In contrast, the absolute numbers of immunologically competent precursor T cells (PTL-P, TTCGF-P, CTL-P) was in general approximately 2- to 5-fold higher in MRL-lpr than in the control mice. However, these normal T cells do not seem to expand proportionally with the progressive lymphadenopathy in MRL-lpr mice since the number of T lymphocytes recovered from lymph nodes of the individual animals tested exceeded those of tissues from control mice by 30- to 300-fold. The results therefore suggest that mature T cells are progressively diluted out by abnormal lymphocytes in lymphocyte populations of aging MRL-lpr mice, thus causing a decrease of immune responses in vitro and possibly also affecting optimal cellular interactions in vivo.