Production of minor lymphocyte stimulatory-1a antigen from activated CD4+ or CD8+ T cells
Arase-Fukushi, N.; Arase, H.; Ogasawara, K.; Good, R.A.; Onoé, K.
Journal of Immunology 151(9): 4445-4454
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 8104995 Document Number: 410742
Minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) Ag are super Ag that stimulate a high proportion of T cells of a specific TCR V-beta family. One of the super Ag, Mls-1-a, which is recognized mainly by TCR V-beta-6+ and V-beta-8.1+ T cells, has recently been linked to the response to product of the open reading frame in 3'-long terminal repeat of endogenous mammary tumor virus, MTV-7. It is quite certain that B cells are able to produce and also to present the Mls-1-a Ag. However, it remains to be determined whether other cell types, especially T cells, produce Mls-1-a Ag. In this study using highly purified T cell subpopulations, capacity to produce Mls-1-a Ag was analyzed by calculating the proportion of Mls-1-a reactive V-beta-6+ or VP8.1+ T cells in responding cell populations. We found that nonstimulated CD8+ T cells produced a low amount of Mls-1-a Ag, and the capacity to do so was considerably increased by stimulation with immobilized anti-TCR mAb. By contrast, nonstimulated CD4+ T cells did not produce Mls-1-a Ag at all. Even when CD4+ T cells were activated via TCR signaling with immobilized anti-TCR mAb, CD4+ T cells did not produce Mls-1-a Ag. However, CD4+ T cells primed with conventional Ag in vivo produced Mls-1a Ag on restimulation with that specific Ag in vitro. These findings indicate that not only CD8+ T cells but also CD4+ T cells can produce Mls-1-a Ag on appropriate stimulation, although different mechanism for Mls-1-a production may operate between the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.