Cooperation between major histocompatibility complex mismatched mononuclear cells from a human chimera in the production of antigen-specific antibody

Fetal liver and thymus transplantation can be successfully employed for the treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency disease. In virtually all cases, donor and recipient cells are HLA mismatched. In a patient suffering from a severe combined immunodeficiency disease, full immunological reconstitution was obtained after fetal liver and thymus transplantation. HLA typing revealed that the patient's T cells were of donor origin, while the B cells and monocytes were of host origin. Despite this complete HLA mismatch, the patient was found to mount a subnormal to normal antibody response in vivo. This finding is in contrast with the concept that antigen recognition by T cells is major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted. To define the mechanism responsible for this in vivo antibody response, antibody production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the patient was tested in vitro after in vivo booster. The in vitro anti-tetanus toxoid antibody production was similar to that of the control group. In addition, specific proliferative responses to tetanus toxoid were obtained. Immunoglobulin allotype determination showed that antibodies were synthetized by host B cells. The results of the present study indicate that transplanted T lymphocytes and recipient cells cooperate despite complete HLA mismatch.