Preferential Interaction of the CD4+29+/45RA‐ Subset of Human CD4+ T Lymphocytes with an Antibody against the Cell‐Membrane Ganglioside GD3

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Abstract
This study shows that the two major subpopulations of CD4+ T lymphoyctes, defined on the basis of differential expression of the CD29 and CD45RA antigens, show significant differences in reactivity with a monoclonal antibody against the GD3 ganglioside. Double staining studies showed that the GD3 ganglioside is predominantly expressed on cells from the CD4+29+ 45RA‐ subsets. The preferential interaction of the CD4+ 29+/45RA‐ cell subset with the anti‐GD3 MoAb was further confirmed by the proliferative and calcium‐flux studies. Accordingly, the reciprocal, CD4+ (29‐)/45RA+ subset was unable to proliferate in response to the anti‐GD3 MoAb alone. Although it did show a significant mobilization of calcium ions and proliferation to IL‐2 when stimulated with the anti‐GD3 MoAb, these responses were much less pronounced than the responses of the CD4+ 29+/45RA‐ subset. Finally, when two T‐cell stimulating monokines, IL‐1 and IL‐6, were tested for the ability to modulate the anti‐GD3 mediated proliferation, only the former, but not the latter was able to enhance the proliferation. Although the natural ligand for the GD3 ganglioside remains unknown, the data presented here provide further evidence in support of the notion that the T‐cell surface molecules different from the T‐cell receptor MHC antigen complex may contribute to the preferential activation of one of the CD4+ T lymphocyte subsets.