Antigen receptors on murine T lymphocytes in contact sensitivity. I. Functional inhibition of effector T cells by monovalent 2,4-dinitrophenol: implication for a two-receptor model.

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Abstract
Experiments were done to investigate the nature of the antigen receptor on lymph node (LN) T cells from mice sensitized to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). LN cells or purified T cells were treated in vitro with monovalent or different multivalent 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) ligands. The effect of this treatment was measured by testing the ability of the cells to transfer contact sensitivity (CS) to DNFB into naive recipients. Treatment of the T cells in vitro with .epsilon.-DNP-L-lysine or DNP-protein conjugates inhibited the transfer of CS in a dose-dependent way. The inhibition was hapten specific and was not mediated by activation of suppressor cells. Inhibition of the T cells by hapten in vitro was rapid (15-30 min) and temperature-independent but required divalent cations in the treatment medium. Hapten-treated T cells were unable to adsorb specific anti-idiotype antibody and this inhibition of adsorption was hapten-specific. Thus, DNFB-immune T cells express a receptor specific for the hapten DNP, and a 2-receptor model for T cell recognition of antigen is indicated.