Monoclonal antibodies to hemagglutinin and to H‐2 inhibit the cross‐reactive cytotoxic T cell populations induced by influenza

Abstract

The target antigens recognized by the cross-reactive population of cytotoxic T cells on A/USSR/90/77 (H 1N 1) influenza virus-infected cells was studied with monoclonal antibodies to the H-2^k antigen and viral hemagglutinin. The cytotoxic killing of virus- infected cells was differentially inhibited by three monoclonal antibodies to H-2^k. Synergistic inhibition of cytotoxic activity was obtained with monoclonal antibodies to H-2 and to some antigenic determinants on the hemagglutinin melecule of A/USSR but not with others. Since target cells infected with other subtypes of influenza A viruses were not inhibited by any of the monoclonal antibodies to AIUSSR hemagglutinin, it is suggested that the sites recognized by the cross-reactive cytotoxic T cells were satirically inhibited by the anti-A/USSR monoclonal antibodies. The results suggest that at least one of the target antigens recognized by the cross-reactive population of cytotoxic T cells is located on the hemagglutinin molecule. The present observations are in agreement with cytotoxic T cell recognition of closely situated viral and H- 2 determinants.