Abstract
We reported the existence of high and low responders to the streptococcal cell wall antigen (SCW) in the human population. To analyze the mechanism of the low responsiveness to SCW at the cellular level, we established SCW‐specific CD4^+^ T cell lines. During the course of generation of a SCW‐specific CD4^+^ T cell line restricted by HLA‐DQ from a low responder, we obtained autoreactive CD8^+^ cytotoxic T lymphocytes as a cell line (HYCD8). They proliferated in the presence of autologous monocytes and IL‐2, without SCW. HYCD8 lysed autologous monocytes and Epstein‐Barr virus‐transformed B lymphoblastoid cell line (BLCL). This cytotoxic activity was specifically inhibited by an anti‐HLA class I framework monoclonal antibody and restricted by HLA‐B52 or B54 specificity, as judged by killing activity against panel cells and HLA class I‐transfected BLCL. It was unique to HYCD8 that the HLA class I‐restricted cytotoxicity was observed only in the presence of soluble factor with low molecular mass (< 10^4^ Da) produced mainly by B cells, which could not be replaced by known cytokines and their mixtures. We thus describe novel HLA class I‐restricted cytotoxic CD8^+^ T cells that kill antigen‐presenting cells in a soluble factor‐dependent manner.