Distribution of alloreactivity amongst the CD45 isoforms of circulating CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes

The expression of different isoforms of the CD45 surface molecule allows lymphocytes to be divided into two nonoverlapping categories, CD45RA and CD45RO. Previous studies of CD4 T cells have shown that responses to soluble antigens are present predominantly in the RO subset and to mitogens in the RA, alloreactivity being present in both subsets. Responses of CD8 T cells have not been investigated in such detail, nor have responses been compared to CD4 cells. Here we report the alloreactive responses of both CD45RA and RO subsets amongst both CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes. Following isolation of CD4 and CD8 cells with immunomagnetic beads, CD45 subsets were separated by negative depletion using specific monoclonal antibodies. CD45RA populations were greater than 97% pure and CD45RO cells greater than 91%. One-way primary mixed lymphocyte reactions were established using the purified responder cells with irradiated allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells as stimulators; experiments were all repeated at least three times. In assays of CD4+ RA and RO subsets, reactivity was present in both isoforms, being consistently, but not significantly, greater amongst the RO subset. With CD8+ T cells, reactivity was also present in both isoforms, but was significantly greater in the CD45RA subset, with mean proliferation 2.5-3-fold that of the CD45RO cells (P < 0.05).