Surface molecules involved in self-recognition and T cell activation in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction

Although the importance of T cell lineage-specific surface glycoproteins and MHC gene products in soluble-, viral-, and alloantigen-stimulated immune responses has been well characterized, those involved in autoreactivity are less defined. To address this issue, we examined the ability of monoclonal antibodies to influence the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR). Here we show that both monoclonal anti-T3 and several monoclonal anti-T4 antibodies profoundly inhibited the autoreactivity of unseparated T cells, isolated T4+ cells, and isolated T8+ cells (cultured in the presence of irradiated T4 cells). Furthermore, monoclonal anti-T8 antibodies markedly inhibited the reactivity of the T8 cells co-cultured with irradiated T4 cells, only partially inhibited the proliferative response of unseparated T cells, and had no effect on the T4 cell AMLR responsiveness. Monoclonal antibodies against class II MHC (Ia) antigenic determinants blocked the AMLR between non-T cells and any of the above responder populations; in contrast, monoclonal anti-class I (HLA-A, B, C) antibodies inhibited the response of T8+ cells but not of isolated T4+ cells. These data support the notion that T4 and T8 antigens serve, respectively, as associative recognition elements for class II and class I MHC antigens during the AMLR, and further suggest that interactions involving non-T cell determinants and the T3-Ti- T cell antigen receptor complex are important in autologous reactivity.