TY - JOUR

T1 - Concanavalin A-mediated in vitro activation of a secondary cytotoxic T-cell response in virus-primed splenocytes

AU - Thomsen, Allan Randrup

AU - Jensen, B L

N1 - Keywords: Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Concanavalin A; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Epitopes; Female; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; Male; Mice; Spleen; T-Lymphocytes

PY - 1980

Y1 - 1980

N2 - In a recent report it was shown that what appeared to be secondary cytotoxic T cells could be obtained from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-primed splenocytes after stimulation in vitro with the non-specific T cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A). The present experiments attempt to characterize further these effector cells and, in particular, to establish whether the Con A-activated cytotoxic effectors are qualitatively different from the secondary cytotoxic T cells induced by restimulation with the homologous antigen. It was found that: (1) in vitro activation with Con A could be obtained with populations harvested between 13 days (the earliest tested) and at least 300 days after priming; (2) cytotoxicity was independent of the presence of carried-over Con A in the cytotoxicity assay; (3) cytotoxicity was dependent on close association between activated T cells and target cells, since no evidence was found to indicate a role for other cell types or soluble (cytotoxic or arming) factors; (4) cytotoxicity was specific with regard to both virus and 'self'. By comparison with previous data on LCMV-induced cytotoxic T cells, it is concluded that Con A induces the generation of cytotoxic T cells from LCMV-primed splenocytes, which, by the criteria used, are indistinguishable from virus-induced secondary cytotoxic T cells. The implications of these findings are discussed.

AB - In a recent report it was shown that what appeared to be secondary cytotoxic T cells could be obtained from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-primed splenocytes after stimulation in vitro with the non-specific T cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A). The present experiments attempt to characterize further these effector cells and, in particular, to establish whether the Con A-activated cytotoxic effectors are qualitatively different from the secondary cytotoxic T cells induced by restimulation with the homologous antigen. It was found that: (1) in vitro activation with Con A could be obtained with populations harvested between 13 days (the earliest tested) and at least 300 days after priming; (2) cytotoxicity was independent of the presence of carried-over Con A in the cytotoxicity assay; (3) cytotoxicity was dependent on close association between activated T cells and target cells, since no evidence was found to indicate a role for other cell types or soluble (cytotoxic or arming) factors; (4) cytotoxicity was specific with regard to both virus and 'self'. By comparison with previous data on LCMV-induced cytotoxic T cells, it is concluded that Con A induces the generation of cytotoxic T cells from LCMV-primed splenocytes, which, by the criteria used, are indistinguishable from virus-induced secondary cytotoxic T cells. The implications of these findings are discussed.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 6160612

VL - 12

SP - 109

EP - 118

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, Supplement

SN - 0301-6323

IS - 2

ER -