Diversity of clonal T cell proliferation is mediated by differential expression of CD152 (CTLA-4) on the cell surface of activated individual T lymphocytes.

Inhibitory effects of CD152 (CTLA-4) engagement during T cell activation have been described. To date, such effects could only be correlated to CD152 expression at the population level because expression of CD152 on the cell surface is too low to be assessed by conventional immunofluorescence on the single cell level. In this study, we use magnetofluorescent liposomes for the immunofluorescent detection of surface CD152-expressing CD4(+) T cells and show that, despite the fact that nearly all cells express intracellular CD152, only a fraction of 12% of activated T cells expresses surface CD152 at any given time point. Surface CD152(+) T cells appear with similar kinetics after primary or secondary activation in vitro. However, the frequency of surface CD152(+) T cells 48 h postactivation is 2-fold higher during secondary activation. Surface expression of CD152 is independent of the proliferative history of an activated T cell. Instruction of T cells for surface expression of CD152 rather depends on the time elapsed since the onset of activation, with a maximum at 48 h, and requires less than 12 h of Ag exposure. CD152(-) T cells, when isolated by cell sorting and restimulated, continue to proliferate. CD152 blockade has no effect on their proliferation. Isolated surface CD152(+) T cells do not proliferate upon restimulation unless CD152 is blocked. CD152 thus acts directly and autonomously on individual activated and proliferating T lymphocytes. Due to its heterogeneous expression on the cell surface of activated Th cells, CD152 might diversify the T cell response.