Target cell lysis by cytotoxic T lymphocytes redirected by antibody-coated polystyrene beads

J Immunol. 1989 Sep 1;143(5):1461-6.

Abstract

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes were found to mediate rapid lysis of target cells not normally recognized in the presence of small polystyrene beads coated with a combination of anti-T3 and antitarget cell antibodies. Lysis was not seen with beads bearing one of these antibodies alone, nor with a mixture of two types of beads each coated with a single antibody. The effector cells mediating this lysis include long term allospecific human CTL, and both human and mouse CTL clones recognizing mouse class I MHC Kb Ag. TNP-modified mouse tumor cells, a human lymphoblastoid line, and human red cells were found to be good targets for this cytotoxicity. Polystyrene beads with diameters of 3 to 15 mu caused target lysis, with a dose-response curve which typically went through a maximum and declined at high bead numbers. Maximal bead-redirected lysis by CTL was less efficient than that mediated by soluble antibody heteroconjugates of the same two antibodies. Bead-redirected target lysis was calcium dependent. These results are interpreted as a form of bystander lysis induced by the beads, since the target cell membrane is not directly crosslinked to the region of CTL activation. These observations thus favor a mechanism of lysis involving the polarized secretion of a locally acting lytic agent by CTL.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / physiology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / physiology
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Cell Line
  • Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / methods
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Humans
  • Immunosorbent Techniques
  • Microspheres
  • Particle Size
  • Polystyrenes*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / metabolism
  • Trinitrobenzenes / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Polystyrenes
  • Trinitrobenzenes