Frequent coexpression of cytolytic activity and lymphokine production among human T lymphocytes. Production of B cell growth factor and interleukin 2 by T8+ and T4+ cytolytic clones

✍ Scribed by Maria Cristina Mingari; Alessandro Moretta; Enrico Maggi; Giuseppe Pantaleo; Franca Gerosa; Sergio Romagnani; Lorenzo Moretta

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 481 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830141121

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

These studies were designed to determine the degree of overlapping between cytolytic function and lymphokine production among peripheral blood human T lymphocytes. T8^+^ and T4^+^ cells were obtained by sorting purified T cells using the fluorescence‐activated cell sorter (FACS) and cloned at 0.25 cells/well in a microculture system that allows clonal growth of every T cell. 49/49 T8^+^ clones but only 5/102 T4^+^ clones displayed cytolytic activity, as assessed by a lectin‐dependent assay. Cytolytic clones were further analyzed for their ability to release interleukin 2 (IL 2) and B cell growth factor(s) (BCGF) upon 24 h stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. Fifteen percent and 18% of T8^+^ cytolytic clones were producing IL2 and BCGF, respectively; in addition 3 out of 5 T4^+^ cytolytic clones released both lymphokines. Although the majority of cytolytic clones producing IL2 were also producing BCGF, 5 clones released either BCGF or IL2. The present studies indicate that the coexpression of cytolytic and helper/inducer functions is relatively common among peripheral blood T lymphocytes, irrespective of their T8^+^ or T4^+^ phenotype.