| Summary: | <p xmlns:etd="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/ora/modsextensions">A new monoclonal antibody against rat lymphocytes is described. This antibody, designated MRC-OX22, recognises an antigen found on all peripheral B cells, all suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes, but only on some helper cells, as defined by the W3/25 antibody. The antigen is found on a significant number of bone marrow cells, but only on 3% of thymocytes, which were located by immunoperoxidase staining at the cortico-medullary junction.</p> <p xmlns:etd="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/ora/modsextensions">The phenotypic division of the W3/25<sup>+</sup> peripheral T cells, is mirrored functionally. By using the popliteal lymph node assay, and the induction of lethal graft-versus-host disease as indicators of alloreactivity, it is found that the alloreactive T cells have the phenotype MRC-OX22<sup>+</sup> ,W3/25<sup>+</sup>. In contrast, using an adoptive transfer system to assess T cell help for B cell antibody production, the phenotype of the T<sub>helper</sub> for B cells is shown to have the phenotype MRC-OX22<sup>-</sup>, W3/25<sup>+</sup>. Evidence is also presented that the phenotype of the T<sub>helper</sub> cell for B cells is stable after priming and boosting.</p> <p xmlns:etd="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/ora/modsextensions">The phenotype of the memory B cell is shown to be MRC-OX22<sup>+</sup>, and the cell responsible for allogeneic suppression is also shown to be MRC-OX22<sup>+</sup>, using the adoptive transfer system for antibody formation.</p> <p xmlns:etd="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/ora/modsextensions">The significance of the functional heterogeneity of the W3/25<sup>+</sup> subset is discussed, and the biochemical nature of the antigen recognised by MRC-OX22 is reviewed, and compared with possible homologues in mouse and man.</p>
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