Human T lymphocyte colonies. I. Surface markers and cytotoxic potential of colony cells

Colonies were obtained from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) grown in soft agar in the presence of PHAM or PHAp mitogens. One out of 130 PBL was able to generate a colony. Colony cells were mass harvested and assayed for surface markers and cytotoxic potential. Most of the colony cells (83%) form spontaneous rosettes with sheep-red blood cells (RBC) and bear the human T lymphocyte antigens (HTLA) (92%). A significant amount of colony cells able to bind autologous RBC was detected (24%). The capacity of PBL and colony cells to bind Ox-RBC sensitized with rabbit anti-Ox-RBC IgM (EAM complexes) was measured: only 15% of colony cells compared to 49% of the PBL formed EAM rosettes. The capacity of cells to bind the Fc portion of antigen-complexed IgG was investigated by two rosette assays: using Chicken or Ox-RBC sensitized with a rabbit anti-Chicken-RBC or Ox-RBC IgG (Chicken EAG or Ox-EAG complexes). The percentage of colony cells forming Chicken EAG rosettes was low (3.6%) compared to PBL (12%). This percentage was significantly increased with PHAp, and not PHAM stimulation (11%). Using Ox-EAG complexes, we confirmed the low percentage of EAG rosettes in colony cells under PHAM stimulation (4.7%) compared to PBL (21%). A significant cytotoxic capacity (spontaneous or antibody dependent) was found in colony cells after PHAM stimulation. This method of culture is able to generate clones of T cells and conserve T cell subsets and cytotoxic potential usually found in a T purified population. In further studies, it will be interesting to investigate if each clone possesses specific markers and cytotoxic potential and is able to maintain this differentiation step in long term culture.