Mitogen-induced blast cells of C type virus-infected mice as target cells for cytolytic T lymphocytes

Lymphoma cells induced in vivo by exogenous C type viruses are usually used as target cells to test the activity of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) directed against the virus-induced cell surface FMR antigen. Such lymphomas are available only in a small number of inbred strains of mice, thus setting limits to the study of H-2 antigens in the interaction between CTL and tumor target cells. A method is proposed to overcome this, using mitogen-induced blast cells from adult mice neonatally infected with C type viruses. Such blast cells bear serologically detectable viral antigens and function as convenient targets in the chromium release test, as well as competitor cells or stimulator cells in vitro. With this method it has been possible to study T cell-mediated anti-FMR reactions in 12 different inbred strains of mice bearing 10 different H-2 haplotypes. The same method could probably be used in any inbred strain, greatly improving the possibility of immunogenetic studies in C type virus systems.