Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Spits

Publications and source records attributed to H Spits.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Selection of a human T helper type 1-like T cell subset by mycobacteria.

Mycobacteria elicit a cellular immune response in their hosts. This response usually leads to protective immunity, but may sometimes be accompanied by immunopathology due to delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). A striking example in man is tuberculoid leprosy, which is characterized by high cellular immunity to Mycobacterium leprae and immunopathology due to DTH. Skin lesions of patients suffering from this disease have the characteristics of DTH reactions in which macrophages and CD4+ T lymphocytes predominate. In animal models, it has been shown that DTH responses are associated with the presence of a particular subset of CD4+ T cells (T helper type 1 [Th1]) that secrete only certain cytokines, such as interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and lymphotoxin, but no IL-4 or IL-5. We studied the cytokine release of activated M. leprae-reactive CD4+ T cell clones derived from tuberculoid leprosy patients. These T cell clones, which were reactive with mycobacterial heat shock proteins, exhibited a Th1-like cytokine secretion pattern with very high levels of IFN-gamma. Half of these clones secreted low levels of IL-4 and IL-5, but the ratio of IFN-gamma to IL-4 and IL-5 was much higher than that of T cell clones reactive with nonmycobacterial antigens. A Th1-like cytokine secretion pattern was also observed for T cell clones and polyclonal T cell lines from control individuals that recognized both heat shock and other mycobacterial antigens. The levels of IFN-gamma secreted by these clones were, however, significantly less than those of patient-derived T cell clones. This Th1-like pattern was not found with T cell clones from the same patients and healthy individuals generated in the same manner, but reactive with nonmycobacterial antigens. Our data thus indicate that mycobacteria selectively induce human T cells with a Th1-like cytokine secretion profile.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Functional and phenotypic differences between CD4+ and CD4- T cell receptor-gamma delta clones from peripheral blood.

CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cells comprise a very small subset of TCR-gamma delta+ T cells. CD4+ TCR gamma delta+ T cell clones were established to study the phenotypical and functional characteristics of these cells. Thirty-four CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones were established after sorting CD4+ T cells from a pre-expanded TCR-gamma delta+ T cell population. These clones as well as the CD4- TCR-gamma delta+ T cells from the same donor used V gamma 2 and V delta 2. In a second cloning experiment CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cells were cloned directly from freshly isolated TCR-gamma delta+ T cells using a cloning device coupled to a FACS sorter. Forty-three clones were obtained, which all expressed CD4 and TCR-gamma delta. Eleven of these clones used V delta 1 and three of them coexpressed V gamma 2. The other CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones used both V delta 2 and V gamma 2. CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones expressed CD28 irrespective of the V gamma or V delta usage, and were CD11b negative. Three CD4-CD8+ TCR-gamma delta+ clones expressed CD8 alpha but not CD8 beta and were CD11b positive. CD28 expression among CD4-CD8+ and CD4-CD8- was variable but lower than on CD4+ T cell clones. CD4- TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones using V gamma 2 and V delta 2 specifically lyse the Burkitt lymphoma cell line Daudi and secrete low levels of IFN-gamma and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF upon stimulation with Daudi. In contrast, most CD4+ T cell clones that use V gamma 2 and V delta 2 had a very low lytic activity against Daudi cells and secrete high levels of IFN-gamma and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF after stimulation with Daudi cells. The NK-sensitive cell line K562 was killed efficiently by the CD4- TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones, but not by CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones, and could not induce cytokine secretion in CD4+ or CD4- T cell clones. CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cell clones, but not the CD4- clones, could provide bystander cognate T cell help for production of IgG, IgM, and IgA in the presence of IL-2 and IgE in the presence of IL-4. Thus, CD4+ TCR-gamma delta+ T cells are similar to CD4+ TCR-alpha beta+ T cells in their abilities to secrete high levels of cytokines and to provide T cell help in antibody production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

Natural killer cell clones can efficiently process and present protein antigens.

NK cell clones obtained from three different donors were tested for their ability to present soluble proteins to Ag-specific T cell clones. All NK clones were CD2+CD3-CD56+, whereas the expression of CD16 varied from clone to clone. The NK cell clones were able to process and present tetanus toxoid (TT) to TT-specific T cell clones in a class II HLA restricted manner. The capacity of NK cell clones to function as APC was also observed using the house dust mite allergen Der p I and the Der p I-derived peptide Val89-Cys117. As with EBV-transformed B cell line, NK cell clones could present the peptide 3-13 derived from the 65-kDa heat shock protein of Mycobacterium leprae, but they were unable to present the whole M. leprae Ag. Freshly isolated NK cells, IL-2-activated NK cells, and NK cell lines expanded in vitro could also process and present TT. The ability of the different NK populations to act as accessory cells correlated with their levels of class II HLA expression. These data demonstrate that NK cell clones can efficiently function as APC, however they may be restricted in the types of Ag that they can process.

Allergens↗
PubMed1991

Clonal analysis of the peripheral T cell compartment of the SCID-hu mouse.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice can be transplanted successfully with human fetal liver and thymus (SCID-hu mice). Precursor cells derived from the fetal liver differentiate in the thymus and migrate into the blood as mature T cells. In the present paper, the peripheral T cell compartment of such mice was studied. Peripheral WBC were activated by PHA and cultured in the presence of irradiated human feeder cells. The resultant cell population consisted exclusively of human CD1- CD2+ CD3+ CD7+ T lymphocytes; up to 4% of the T cells expressed the TCR gamma delta, whereas 95 to 100% were TCR alpha beta +. The CD4bright (42 to 66%) and CD8bright (30 to 54%) populations coexpressed variable but low levels of CD8 and CD4, respectively. The T cell cultures from the SCID-hu mice did not display reactivity towards the autologous human EBV-transformed B cell lines (B-LCL). On the other hand, these human T cells proliferated and were cytotoxic against allogeneic human B-LCL. T cell clones were established from cultured SCID-hu T cells. All T cell clones were TCR alpha beta + CD3+ CD2+; 61% of the clones were CD4+ CD8-, 27% were CD8+ CD4-, 11% were CD8+ CD4lo, and 2% were CD4+ CD8lo. None of these clones recognized the autologous B-LCL established from the fetal human donor. Fourteen of 100 T cell clones had specific alloreactivity, as tested on a panel of five B-LCL. Of these 14, two CD8+ CD4lo and two CD8+ CD4- clones were cytotoxic and did not proliferate in response to specific stimulator cells. Furthermore, two CD4+ CD8lo and eight CD4+ CD8- clones proliferated specifically in response to alloantigens. In conclusion, the peripheral human T cells of SCID-hu animals are functional and their TCR repertoire is polyclonal, alloreactive, and devoid of self-reactive cells. Therefore, the SCID-hu mouse can be a suitable model for the study of alloreactivity and allotolerance in vivo, as well as for the study of negative selection in the human thymus.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a novel human thymocyte subset with a phenotype of CD3- CD4+ CD8 alpha + beta-1. Possible progeny of the CD3- CD4- CD8- subset.

We investigated responsiveness to cytokines and differentiating potential of early human T cell precursors in vitro. Human CD3- CD4- CD8- (triple negative) thymocytes were highly purified by using magnetic bead columns and cell sorting. These cells proliferated for the first 3 to 4 days and then remained viable for up to 14 days in the presence of IL-7, IL-2 or IL-4 had only limited growth-promoting activity on these cells and could not maintain the cell viability. We followed the phenotypic change of triple negative thymocytes during culture with IL-7. After 7 to 14 days of culture with IL-7, a considerable proportion became CD4+ CD8+ (double positive). These cells were found to be CD3- CD4+ CD8 alpha+ beta- in contrast to common double positive thymocytes, which express low levels of CD3 and both alpha- and beta-chains of CD8. By using four-color immunofluorescence and multi-parameter cytofluorometric analysis, we could identify this novel subset in fresh thymocytes. These results suggest that the CD3- CD4+ CD8 alpha+ beta- subset exists physiologically in the human thymus and may represent an intermediate stage between triple negative and common double positive thymocytes.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1991

Clonal analysis of human CD4-CD8-CD3- thymocytes highly purified from postnatal thymus.

Human triple-negative (CD4-CD8-CD3-) thymocytes purified from postnatal thymus by the use of magnetic bead columns and cell sorting were cultured in bulk or cloned with a feeder cell mixture of irradiated PBL, irradiated JY cells, and PHA. Triple-negative thymocytes proliferated well under these culture conditions, and after 12 days in bulk culture they remained triple negative. Limiting dilution experiments revealed that the frequency of clonogenic cells in fresh triple-negative thymocytes was less than 1%. Of 40 clones obtained in a representative experiment, 37 were triple negative and 3 were CD4+ TCR-alpha beta+. No TCR-gamma delta+ clones were isolated. Some of the triple-negative clones expressed CD16 and were apparently NK cells. Seven representative CD16-triple-negative clones were expanded and characterized in detail. These clones shared the common cell surface phenotype of CD1-CD2+CD3-CD4--CD8-CD5-CD7+CD16-CD56+. One of them expressed cytoplasmic CD3 delta and CD3 epsilon Ag, but these Ag were not detected in any peripheral blood-derived CD16- NK clones examined for comparison. The seven CD16- thymus-derived clones exhibited significant cytolytic activity against K562. The clone that expressed cytoplasmic CD3 Ag was shown to have the germ-line configuration of the TCR-beta and TCR-gamma genes. Thus, it is suggested that in vitro culture of triple-negative thymocytes can give rise to NK-like cells, including those that express cytoplasmic CD3 Ag. In contrast to previous reports, our results gave no evidence of differentiation of triple-negative thymocytes into TCR-alpha beta+ or TCR-gamma delta+ T cells.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1991

Human B cell clones can be induced to proliferate and to switch to IgE and IgG4 synthesis by interleukin 4 and a signal provided by activated CD4+ T cell clones.

In the present study, it is demonstrated that cloned surface IgM-positive human B cells can be induced to proliferate and to switch with high frequencies to IgG4 and IgE production after a contact-mediated signal provided by T cell clones and interleukin 4 (IL-4). This T cell signal is antigen nonspecific and is provided by activated CD4+ cells, whereas activated CD8+ or resting CD4+ T cell clones are ineffective. 15-35% of the B cell clones cultured with cloned CD4+ T cells and IL-4 produced antibodies; 35-45% of those wells in which antibodies were produced contained IgE and IgG4. In addition to B cell clones that produced IgG4 or IgE only, B cell clones producing multiple isotypes were observed. Simultaneous production of IgG4 and IgE, IgM, IgE, and IgM, or IgG4 and IgE was detected, suggesting that during clonal expansion switching might occur in successive steps from IgM to IgG4 and IgE. In addition, production of only IgM, IgG4, and IgE during clonal expansion indicates that this isotype switching is directed by the way a B cell is stimulated and that it is not a stochastic process.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

Functionally distinct subsets of human gamma/delta T cells.

To determine if effector subsets exist among human gamma/delta T cells, we examined the cytokine production and cytotoxic activity of gamma/delta T cell clones with different accessory molecule phenotypes, V delta and V gamma gene expression, and J gamma rearrangements. T cell clones bearing gamma/delta T cell receptor produce an array of cytokines like alpha/beta T cell clones. Individual gamma/delta T cell clones produced a characteristic array of cytokines without correlation with V delta or V gamma gene expression. However, when phenotypic subsets were considered, CD4+ gamma/delta clones produced significantly higher levels of interleukin 2 and granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor compared with CD4-CD8- and CD8+ gamma/delta clones. Similarly, when cytotoxic potential was assessed, CD4+ gamma/delta clones exhibited minimal activity when compared with CD4-CD8- and CD8+ adult peripheral blood gamma/delta clones. We conclude that functionally distinct gamma/delta T cell subsets exist and suggest that these subsets may correlate with expression of the CD4 accessory molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Characterization of triple negative clones isolated from post-natal human thymus.

Human triple negative (CD3- CD4- CD8-) thymocytes and double negative (CD4- CD8-) thymocytes purified from post-natal thymus were cloned with a feeder cell mixture of irradiated PBL, irradiated JY cells and PHA and expanded with IL-2. The cloning efficiency of triple negative thymocytes was less than 1% and the majority of the clones were triple negative. One out of 11 clones was TCR alpha beta+ CD4+. No TCR gamma delta+ clones were isolated. On the other hand, the cloning efficiency of double negative thymocytes was about 10% and most of the clones isolated were TCR gamma delta+. We could not find any evidence of in vitro differentiation of triple negative thymocytes into TCR gamma delta+ cells. Some of the triple negative clones expressed CD16 brightly and were apparently NK cells. All CD16- clones isolated from triple negative thymocytes, however, expressed NKH1, which is also an NK cell marker. Cytoplasmic CD3-delta and CD3-epsilon Ag which have been reported to be expressed in the most immature thymocytes were not detected in any of these clones. Furthermore, the CD16- triple negative clones exhibited significant cytolytic activity against K562. Phenotype of the clones seems to be stable under various conditions in vitro including coculture with human thymic epithelial cells. These data indicate that the CD16- triple negative clones isolated from triple negative thymocytes are similar to a minor subset of NK cells which is CD16- NKH-1+. It is not clear whether they originated from a distinct subset of mature or immature NK cells resident in the thymus tissue or from common precursors of both T and NK lineage.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of lymphokine secretion and responsiveness of human T cell clones isolated in IL-4 and in IL-2.

Interleukin (IL)-4 has been shown to be secreted simultaneously with IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma by the majority of CD4+ human T cell clones isolated and cultured using IL-2 as a growth factor. Moreover, IL-4 was found to be as efficient as IL-2 to promote the outgrowth of human T cell clones. In this study we have investigated the pattern of lymphokine production by human T cell clones isolated and cultured in IL-4. Most of the CD4+ T cell clones isolated in IL-4 were found to have the ability to simultaneously secrete IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma upon activation. The T cell clones isolated in IL-4 produced, in general, more IL-4 and less IL-2 than the clones isolated and cultured in IL-2. This tendency did not appear to be a stable feature inasmuch as when representative CD4+ T cell clones were split and cultured in either IL-2 or IL-4, the clones in IL-2 secreted more IL-2 and less IL-4 than the same cells cultured in IL-4. These results indicate that the isolation and culture of human CD4+ T cells in IL-4 did not lead to an "irreversible" development of these cells into Th-1- or Th-2-like cells. Clones isolated in IL-4 responded better to IL-4 than they did to IL-2. On the other hand, T cell clones from the same donor isolated in IL-2 showed the reverse pattern since these latter cells were found to respond better to IL-2 than to IL-4. Furthermore, "nonresponsiveness" of a T cell clones in a [3H]TdR assay to either IL-2 or IL-4 is not a stable feature since clones, unresponsive to a particular lymphokine, could be adapted to become responsive.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1991

Reciprocal hybrid joints demonstrate successive V-J rearrangements on the same chromosome in the human TCR gamma locus.

Novel variable (V)--joining (J) gene rearrangements are described in the human T cell receptor gamma locus, in which, on the one hand, the V3 variable gene is joined to the heptamer--nonamer recombination signals of the J1 segment and, on the other hand, the J1 segment is joined to the V3 recombination signals through head-to-head fusion. These recombination products, or hybrid joints, have been originated through an inversion of 47 kb DNA. Interestingly the inverted DNA stretch contains a normal V9-J9 rearrangement. These findings are the first direct demonstration that successive rearrangements occur, on the same chromosome, in the human T cell receptor gamma locus, and suggest that the chronology of the joining events plays a role in the ontogeny of T cells and their differentiation in gamma/delta + and alpha/beta + lineages.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

The CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase is required for the completion of the activation program leading to lymphokine production in the Jurkat human T cell line.

Stimulation of the T cell antigen receptor, TCR-CD3, induces tyrosine phosphorylation of specific cellular proteins through activation of a tyrosine kinase. The possible regulatory role of the CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase in this process was explored by studying the functional properties of cellular variants of the Jurkat T cell line which have been selected to have normal levels of the TCR-CD3 complex, but low or negative expression of CD45. These variants had less than 20% of the normal membrane tyrosine phosphatase activity. Triggering the TCR-CD3 receptor on the CD45 variants with anti-CD3 mAb induced the activation of a tyrosine kinase. Tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular substrates as well as of the CD3 zeta chain was qualitatively comparable to normal cells although the extent of stimulation was lower. No differences were observed between the variants and the normal cells in the duration of the tyrosine phosphorylation signal. The increase in intracellular calcium concentration following receptor stimulation was also less efficient, suggesting that CD45 is necessary for optimal generation of the second messengers of the activation. The CD45 deficient cells secreted highly reduced levels of lymphokines (IL-2, IL-3 or GM-CSF) after activation by anti-CD3 mAb combined with the phorbol ester TPA. This impaired lymphokines production is related to the absence of CD45 since a CD45+ revertant subclone, isolated from one CD45- clone, produced normal levels of cytokines upon activation via CD3, while CD45- subclones were unable to secrete cytokines following activation via CD3. However, upon activation with Ca2+ ionophore and PMA, all CD45- (sub)clones secreted cytokines at levels comparable to those produced by CD45+ cells. These results show that CD45 is required for cytokine production after activation via the TCR-CD3 complex.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1991

Cloning of a novel cell type from human fetal liver expressing cytoplasmic CD3 delta and epsilon but not membrane CD3.

Seventeen-week human fetal liver cells cultured with a feeder cell mixture of irradiated PBL, irradiated JY cells (an EBV-transformed B cell line) and PHA contained a subpopulation of CD3- cells in addition to a major population of T cells with the mature phenotype. After 12 days in culture, CD3- CD16- cells were sorted and cloned by limiting dilution. Two representative clones, FL121 and FL125, were expanded and characterized. They shared the phenotype of CD2+CD3-CD4-CD5-CD6+CD16-CD56+. FL121 did not express CD8 whereas FL125 expressed CD8 alpha but not CD8 beta. Both clones were found to express cytoplasmic CD3 delta and CD3 epsilon Ag while CD3- NK clones isolated from PBL were negative for them. These results indicate that FL121 and FL125 were committed to the T-cell lineage. Southern blot analysis showed that the TCR beta genes and the TCR gamma genes of these clones were in the germ-line configuration. The establishment of FL121 and FL125 may provide a novel insight into the earliest stage of T-cell development in man.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1991

Comparative analysis of CD8 expressed on mature CD4+ CD8+ T cell clones cultured with IL-4 and that on CD8+ T cell clones: implication for functional significance of CD8 beta.

Interleukin (IL-4) can induce CD8 expression on mature CD4+ T cells. To study this phenomenon in more detail, we characterized CD8 expressed on IL-4-induced CD4+ CD8+ (double positive) T cell clones in comparison with that on CD8+ T cell clones. Using 2ST8-5H7 mAb that detects CD8 beta expression, we found that double positive T cell clones isolated with IL-4 express CD8 alpha but not beta, in contrast to CD8+ CTL cell clones, which express both chains of CD8. Northern blot analysis revealed that these double positive clones expressed CD8 alpha but not beta mRNA, indicating that CD8 alpha and beta are independently regulated at the pre-translational level. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that CD8 expressed on a representative IL-4-induced double positive T cell clone consists mainly of homodimers of a single 34 kd protein of CD8 alpha. The amount of multimers detected from this clone was much less than that from a CD8+ CTL clone. These results suggest that persistent expression of CD8 beta is specific for the CD8+ lineage and may be involved in polymerization and stabilization of CD8 which enhances the efficiency of class I-restricted antigen recognition.

CD4 Antigens↗
PubMed1991

Clonal analysis of differential lymphokine production in peptide and superantigen induced T cell anergy.

A failure of T lymphocytes to produce interleukin 2 (IL-2) on restimulation may, in part, account for the specific unresponsiveness that accompanies incomplete activation. The evidence to support this has been derived predominantly from the investigation of the molecular basis of anergy in murine type 1 T cells. In this study, the effects of different tolerogenic signals delivered by specific peptide or Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin on the ability of antigen-specific human T cells to produce lymphokines, both in the induction phase and in established antigen-specific non-responsiveness, have been examined. Although T cell proliferation was decreased by supraoptimal concentrations of specific peptide in the presence or absence of antigen presenting cells, IL-2, IL-4, and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) synthesis were comparable to that of activated T cells. The different tolerogenic signals, all capable of inhibiting phase of unresponsiveness. Restimulation of anergic T cells with an antigenic challenge failed to induce lymphokine production, with the exception of allergen-reactive T cells that secreted IFN-gamma. This latter observation is relevant to the desensitization of specific responsiveness in allergic disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A SCID patient reconstituted with HLA-incompatible fetal stem cells as a model for studying transplantation tolerance.

We studied a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) patient who received transplantations with completely HLA-mismatched fetal liver and thymus from two different donors. The patient is now 14 years old, healthy and shows normal immunoresponses to recall antigens. His T cells are of donor origin, whereas the monocytes, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells are of the recipient. The successful immunological reconstitution raised questions as to how T and B cells could collaborate across an HLA barrier and how tolerance was achieved. We have shown that tetanus toxin-specific T cell clones isolated from this patient recognized this antigen in the context of host and not of donor HLA-DR, indicating that those cells were educated in the host environment, presumably the thymus. Despite this, an unexpectedly high frequency of host-reactive clones was found that could recognize MHC antigens of the host. It was particularly striking that CD8+ CTL clones were obtained that recognized class I MHC antigens on the host cells. Nevertheless, the patient did not show any sign of acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). These data indicated that no or only incomplete clonal deletion had taken place in this patient and suggest the presence of a peripheral suppressor mechanism. Thus far, we have no indication for the existence of suppressor T cells. Inasmuch as it was found that host-reactive T cells fail to produce IL-4, which is exceptional for CD4+ T cells, we are exploring the possibility that abnormal cytokine production patterns of host-reactive T cells are associated with suppression of these cells in vivo.

B-Lymphocytes↗