Immunogenic epitopes of the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor. Relationships to high-affinity IL-2 binding and modulation of the p55 chain.

Monoclonal antibodies were used to determine the relationships between epitopes on the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor and high-affinity IL-2 binding. Five monoclonal antibodies to the human P55 chain of the IL-2 receptor were induced by immunizing mice with murine L cells that were transfected with human p55 cDNA. Since the p55 chain is the only human antigen expressed on these cells, all antihuman MABs thus generated were directed against this molecule. These antibodies were used to map epitopes on the p55 chain and determine their relationship to high-affinity IL-2 binding. Extensive flow cytometric studies with these MABs and a large panel of other anti-p55 MABs revealed three major patterns of competition. Type I MABs compete with anti-Tac extensively but not with antibodies of other groups. Type II MABs do not block anti-Tac but do block 7E11. Type III MABs do not block either type I or type II antibodies. 125I-IL2 competition studies under high-affinity conditions revealed that types I and II MABs inhibit IL-2 binding. Type III MABs can be resolved into two subgroups, one that inhibits IL-2 binding and one that does not. Together these data suggest that there are at least four distinct immunogenic epitopes on the human p55 chain, with three epitopes related to IL-2 binding. The competitive component evident by a change in Kd on the Scatchard plots suggests that all three epitopes are close to or part of the IL-2-binding site of the p55 chain. The noncompetitive component, as evidenced by the lower number of high-affinity IL-2 receptors induced by these antibodies, suggests that the same epitopes are also close to the site(s) of interaction between the p55 and p70 chains to form the high-affinity receptor. These studies indicated that the IL-2-binding site and site of interaction between the p55 and p70 chains are close together or identical. Modulation studies revealed that one type II antibody (7E11) modulates the p55 chain in the absence of IL2 and the p70 chain, thus revealing that modulation of the p55 chain can occur by an active process, and not merely passively comodulate by the p70 chain upon IL-2 binding. Modulation of the p55 chain alone has no proliferative effect on IL-2-responsive T lymphoblasts. Potentially this antibody-dependent modulation may be used to deliver toxin to activated lymphocytes.

Identification of pre-T cells in human peripheral blood. Extrathymic differentiation of CD7+CD3- cells into CD3+ gamma/delta+ or alpha/beta+ T cells.

CD7+CD3- cells purified (greater than 99.99%) by FACS from the peripheral blood of healthy adults include precursors for mature T cells that have the capacity to differentiate into TCR-1+ or TCR-2+ CD3+ cells. Extrathymic differentiation was demonstrable from all eight healthy donors in the presence of a high concentration of IL-2, mitogenic levels of PHA, and irradiated blood mononuclear feeder cells, after a lag of approximately 40 d in vitro. The extrathymic T (ET) cells were predominantly TCR-1+, although TCR-2+ cells were also derived. ET TCR-1+ cells were CD4-CD8-, CD4-CD8DIM+, and CD4+CD8-, and were distinguished from natural T TCR-2+ cells by a variety of cell surface markers. The ET cells had phenotypes generally displayed by normal mature T cells, although the CD5DIM+ on ET cells was more typical of thymocytes. Acquisition of CD3 on purified CD7+CD3- cells was not due to antigenic modulation or growth of contaminants, and ET cells could be demonstrated at the clonal level. Studies in athymic mice and bone marrow recipients support the view that extrathymic maturation does occur in vivo. Whether the CD7+CD3- cell population was unexposed to the thymus, or exposed but not processed, is unknown. In any case, unusual or "forbidden" autoreactive specificities are predicted since ET cells differentiate without thymic selection of the TCR.