CD4+ cytolytic T cell clones that recognize polymorphism of HLA-DR beta 3 chains.

We have investigated HLA-DR beta 3-associated functional polymorphism using selected Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) specific human T cell clones and EBV-transformed B cell (EBV-B) lines. To study the relationship between T cell recognition and the gene products of the three alleles of the DR beta 3 locus, Dw24, 25 and 26 (these were previously called DRw52a, b and c, respectively), CD4+ cytolytic T cell clones (CD4+ CTL) were isolated by repeated stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HLA A2 A24; B8 B27; DRw17, Dw24, DRw2) with autologous EBV-B. Clone no. 32 proliferated strongly in response to HLA-Dw24 EBV-B, but not to Dw25 or Dw26 EBV-B. Furthermore, clones no. 32 and no. 45 both lysed HLA-Dw24 EBV-B but not Dw25 or Dw26 EBV-B. In addition, cold target inhibition studies showed that the cytolytic activity of both clones was blocked by unlabelled HLA-Dw24 EBV-B, but not by Dw25 or Dw26 EBV-B. Clones no. 32 and no. 45, therefore, could distinguish between the three allelic products of DR beta 3 haplotypes.