B7+ T cells in myeloma: an acquired marker of prior chronic antigen presentation

Murine T cells do not endogenously upregulate CD80 expression but rather acquire CD80 from antigen presenting cells (APC) during CD28 ligation. Murine CD80+ memory T cells undergo apoptosis in the presence of high levels of antigen while naive CD80+ T cells are capable of acting as APC and T cell:T cell ligation induces anergy and unresponsiveness to antigen rechallenge. Reversing T cell unresponsiveness may be a key factor in the development of immunotherapy strategies for patients with myeloma. We have determined that B7+ T cells (CD80+ or CD86+) are common in patients with myeloma (n = 45), can be either CD4 or CD8, tend to be associated with stable disease and are polyclonal memory T cells (CD45RO). CD80 mRNA expression was present in CD80+ monocytes but not in CD3+ cells with a similar level of CD80 antigen expression. CD80 and CD86 antigen expression was upregulated on B cells but not T cells during incubation with trimeric human CD40 ligand (huCD40LT) + IL-2. Although there was a gradual loss of expression during in vitro culture, CD80+ T cells could be purified for further study. We conclude that B7 expression is common on T cells of patients with myeloma but that this is acquired rather than endogenously produced. B7+ CD45RO+ T cells constitute a population of memory T cells chronically exposed to antigen and warrant further study.