Functional cell mediated lympholysis I. Description of the assay

The anamnestic response by human bi-directional (BD) mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) to restimulation by cells of the original stimulating type is generally strikingly reduced as compared to that of standard one-way cultures. This difference was shown not to be related to a change in kinetics nor was it due to exhaustion of the media or soluble factors since fresh media did not ameliorate the effect nor were supernatants from BD cultures found to be suppressive. The relative inhibition was also not reversed by removal of the allogeneic cells by phenotype specific antiserum. Cytotoxic tests with donor and responder specific antisera revealed that the cells bearing that phenotype were dramatically reduced in BD as compared to one-way cultures. Thus, the diminished secondary response appears to be due to cytotoxic elimination of the responder cells. This allogeneic cytotoxicity is dependent on non-T, phagocytic, adherent cells. The phenomenon is called Functional Cell Mediated Lympholysis (F-CML).