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Human Antigen‐Presenting Cells: Characterization of the Cells in the T‐Lymphocyte Proliferative Response
Author(s) -
Koide Yukio,
Awashima Fumiyoshi,
Akaza Tatsuya,
Yoshida Takato O.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1981.tb00051.x
Subject(s) - antigen , biology , antigen presenting cell , immunology , t cell , mixed lymphocyte reaction , t lymphocyte , cytotoxic t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , human leukocyte antigen , immune system , in vitro , biochemistry
Human antigen‐presenting cells (APC) which present the antigen to T lymphocytes resulting in a T‐lymphocyte proliferative response were found among peripheral mononuclear cells (MNC), by employing purified protein derivative (PPD) as soluble antigen. To assess the adherence capacity of human antigen‐presenting cells, MNC were separated by plastic Petri dishes or nylon wool columns. Plastic nonadherent cells were almost equivalent to unseparated cells in antigen‐presenting ability. Plastic adherent cells, however, showed better antigen‐presenting ability than unseparated cells. On the other hand, cells passed over nylon wool columns showed essentially no ability to present PPD to T lymphocytes. Removal of phagocytic cells by carbonyl iron resulted in about 50–70% reduction in antigen‐presenting ability. Carrageenan, which is known to be toxic to macrophages, had no effect on APC. By using both rabbit anti‐human Ia‐like antiserum and alloantiserum specific for HLA‐DR phenotype and complement, it was shown that APC possessed Ia‐like antigens, whereas they did not bear surface immunoglobulins. These results indicate that the human APC is probably a cell in the monocyte‐macrophage lineage. Allogeneic MNC were used as APC in order to determine whether any genetic restriction exists between MNC as APC and responding T lymphocytes. Optimal stimulation was shown to require identity of mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR)‐activating determinants between APC and T lymphocytes. It is, however, obscure whether an HLA‐D region restriction exists in these combinations because PPD‐pulsed allogeneic MNC lost their ability to elicit even MLR. It is possible that this failure to elicit MLR was caused by T lymphocytes among the MNC used as APC.