ANTIBODIES TO THE T3-ANTIGEN COMPLEX ON HUMAN T-CELLS RENDER THYMOCYTES UNRESPONSIVE TO MITOGEN

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (1) , 1-6
Abstract
Human thymocytes differed from peripheral blood T cells, in that they did not proliferate in response to mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for the T3 antigen complex (UCHT1 and OKT3), even in the presence of T-cell growth factor (interleukin 2, IL-2) or with monocytes plus IL-2. The failure to respond was not the result of inhibition by cortical thymocytes, since OKT6-negative cells also did not respond when tested under conditions of limiting dilution. Of more importance, these antibodies rendered human thymocytes unresponsive to the lectin phytohemagglutinin when added before, during or immediately after addition of the lectin, an effect which was much more profound than the decrease in mitogenesis caused with blood mononuclear cells. These results illustrate a clear difference between medullary thymocytes and peripheral T cells in their ability to respond to signals transduced through the T3 antigen complex.