[Analyses of HLA antigens using cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones]

In order to investigate the structural polymorphism of DQ antigens, especially those associated with DRw8, allospecific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones were produced. Three informative human CTL clones, TGBE-11, TGAF-3 and TED-2 were established. The first two CTL clones were generated against DRw8/DQWa typed B-lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL), GI and the third against DR4/DQw3 typed B- LCL,ER. TGBE-11 lysed not only some DRw8 but also DR1 positive LCLs. However, it did not react with the DRw8 positive LCLs associated with DQw1. Cytotoxicity of this CTL clone was inhibited by anti-DR monoclonal antibody (MoAb). These results indicated that DRw8 is not homogenous and that the DRw8 molecule has the common determinant with DR1. On the other hand, TGAF-3 and TED-2 reacted with DRw8/DQWa typed LCLs without any cross reaction with DR4/DQWa typed LCLs. Since their reactivity was inhibited by anti-DQ MoAbs, they were thought to discriminate DQWa of DRw8 LCLs from that of DR4 LCLs. This result was confirmed by the fact that 2-D profiles of HU-46 exhibited different electrophoretic patterns of DQWa between DR4 and DRw8. Moreover, further splits of DQWa were suggested because the reactivity of TGAF-3 and that of TED-2 were mutually exclusive against DRw8/DQWa panels. By using these two CTL clones, Dw8/DRw8 could be subdivided into three groups, Dw8.1, Dw8.2 and Dw8.3, corresponding to D-typing. In other words, Dw8.1 was defined by TGAF-3, Dw8.2 by TED-2 and Dw8.3 by negative reaction with both CTL clones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)