Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 160, 329-334, Copyright © 1984 by Rockefeller University Press
Interaction of helper T cells and Lyb5+ B cells responding to phosphorylcholine is MHC-restricted
DE Mosier and AJ Feeney
The requirements for T cell/B cell interaction for the induction of primary
in vitro antibody responses to phosphorylcholine (PC)-keyhole limpet
hemocyanin (KLH) were examined. Long-term helper T cell lines derived from
KLH-primed (CBA/N X BALB/c) F1 female mice (H-2k/d) were able to support a
T15-idiotype dominant, IgM anti-PC response of BALB/c (H-2d) B cells and
macrophages, but could not activate PC-specific responses by BALB.B (H-2b)
B cells, even in the presence of irradiated H-2k/d antigen-presenting
cells. Polyclonal IgM secretion in the same cultures did not appear to
depend upon a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T-B
interaction. Since IgM anti-PC responses seem to be entirely derived from
the Lyb5+ B cell subpopulation, we conclude that at least some Lyb5+ B
cells can only be activated by MHC- restricted T-B interactions. We also
found that xid B cells from (CBA/N X BALB/c) F1 male mice could be
polyclonally activated by helper T cell lines by an apparently
MHC-unrestricted interaction. Our data thus suggests that residence in the
Lyb5- or Lyb5+ B cell subset does not determine the T:B interaction
requirements for antibody synthesis.