The cytotoxic activity of mouse T lymphocytes against allogeneic cytotoxic T cells

Using a 51Cr cytotoxicity assay, the sensitivity of murine cytotoxic T cells to T cell mediated cytotoxicity has been tested. Two experimental approaches have been used. First, cytotoxic T-blast-lymphocytes (CTBL), enriched by the velocity sedimentation at 1 g were used both as cytotoxic effector cells and as 51Cr-labelled target cells. It was found that murine CTBL are capable to lyse directly and specifically allogeneic CTBL within 200 minutes. The second approach used was to incubate CTBL together with CTBL, the cytotoxic activity of which was directed against the transplantation antigens of the added allogeneic CTBL population. After 10 hours, the residual cytotoxic activity was tested. Again it was found that CTBL were capable of functionally inactivating allogeneic CTBL. Therefore the results obtained are incompatible with the concept that target cell lysis by cytotoxic T lymphocytes is mediated by a non specific "lymphotoxin", secreted by activated T cells after the antigen-recognition phase in the confined space between T cells and target cells.