Secondary cytotoxic allograft response in vitro. I. Antigenic requirements

Abstract

The antigenic requirementsfor in vitro induction of secondary murine cytotoxic allograft responses were tested. The proliferative responses were assayed by the [³H]thymidine uptake technique; the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) was tested in a ⁵¹Cr‐cytotoxicity assay. Spleen cells from normal or alloantigen preimmunized CBA mice (H‐2^k) were used as responder cells. Allogeneic x‐irradiated splenic lymphocytes (normal stimulator cells) were UV light treated, heat treated or glutaradehyde fixed and subsequently tested for their capacity to induce CTL in a primary or secondary mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). In addition allogeneic fibroblasts were tested as stimulator cells. The results obtained suggest that although they fail to trigger significant proliferative and cytotoxic T cell responses, in a primary MLC certain allogeneic stimulator cells, are able to induce strong cytotoxic T cell activity in a secondary MLC. The generation of these secondary CTL is preceded by only marginal cell proliferation.