Adult Murine T cells Activated in vitro by α -Fetoprotein and Naturally Occurring T cells in Newborn Mice: Identity in Function and Cell Surface Differentiation Antigens

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1978-06, Vol.75 (6), p.2897-2901
• Main Authors: Murgita, R. A., Goidl, E. A., Kontiainen, S., Beverley, P. C. L., Wigzell, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; alpha-Fetoproteins - pharmacology; Animals; Animals, Newborn - immunology; Antibodies; Antibody Formation; Antigens; Cell Membrane - immunology; Cultured cells; Immunology; Immunosuppression; Isoantigens - analysis; Lymphocyte Cooperation - drug effects; Mice; Newborns; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Spleen; Spleen - immunology; Spleen cells; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes - immunology
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.75.6.2897

Murine α -fetoprotein (α FP) has been shown to suppress T cell-dependent antibody responses in vitro but not T cell-independent responses. Our earlier preliminary findings indicated that such inhibitory effects are mediated via activated T cells. In this study, using α FP as the inducing agent, we have analyzed cells generated in vitro from adult spleen cells with regard to function and surface markers and compared the cells to the naturally occurring splenic T cells of newborn mice, in which there are high intrinsic concentrations of α FP. Both types of T lymphocytes were found to effectively inhibit T cell-dependent antibody responses in vitro but not T cell-independent responses. Moreover, both groups of T cells were found to express the identical differentiation antigen phenotype, Ly 1+2-. Thus α FP-induced inhibitory T cells from adults could be shown to have the same functional properties and Ly phenotype as splenic T lymphocytes from newborn mice. These findings support the concept that α FP might function as an important immunoregulatory agent in vivo during ontogenetic development.