Allospecific proliferative human T-cell clones acquire the cytotoxic effector function after three months in culture, in IL-2 conditioned medium

Allostimulated T lymphocytes were cloned by micromanipulation and expanded in IL-2 conditioned medium. Three T3+,T4+,T8-, clones called BJ1, BJ4, and BJ37, were extensively studied. The BJ1 cells were able to proliferate and kill the specific target. The BJ4 and BJ37 cells were able to proliferate with the specific restimulator but could not kill even in lectin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic assay; however, they acquired the specific cytolytic activity in the 6-day culture when fresh irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells as feeder cells were added to the specific irradiated Epstein-Barr virus transformed cell line, in the presence of recombinant IL-2. This observation strongly suggested that the culture conditions could be involved in the differentiation of proliferative clones into cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones, by the lymphokines, either present in the IL-2 conditioned medium or secreted by the mixed allogeneic irradiated feeder cells. Moreover, it was shown that the acquisition of the cytolytic function could be blocked by the monoclonal antibody LeoA1, previously described and which recognized the TLiSA1 structure involved in the CTL differentiation.