Clonal analysis of HLA-restricted virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes from cerebrospinal fluid in mumps meningitis
Fleischer, B.; Kreth, H.W.
Journal of Immunology 130(5): 2187-2190
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 6187843 Document Number: 206122
T lymphocytes were cloned directly from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with mumps meningitis by limiting dilution in the presence of irradiated feeder cells and T cell growth factor. Of 84 colonies analyzed, 41 were cytotoxic, as shown by their ability to exert phytohemagglutinin-dependent killing. Of these, 39 showed specificity for the autologous mumps-virus infected target cells. The cytotoxic T cell colonies showed the same pattern of HLA restriction as bulk cultures of CSF lymphocytes. This study shows that it is possible to perform functional assays on inflammatory exudate cells at the clonal level. The data also suggest that recruitment of effector cells from the peripheral compartment into the meningeal spaces in mumps meningitis is highly antigen-specific.