Murine T-cell clones specific for chicken erythrocyte alloantigens.

We have established murine T-cell clones which respond to allotypic and species-specific determinants found on chicken erythrocytes (cRBC). Their relative antigen specificities were determined by assessing lymphokine production and proliferation in response to syngeneic spleen cells and cRBC obtained from chickens homozygous for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. The specificity pattern suggested that the T-cell clones recognized a more restricted set of cRBC MHC-associated allodeterminants than do antibody-producing cells. The antigen-specific responses required antigen processing, and were MHC restricted and antigen dose dependent. Approximately 20% of T-cell clones from appropriate strains of mice were also Mls alloreactive. This second reactivity showed no correlation with nominal cRBC specificity. The induction-specific lymphokine activities of T-cell growth factor, mast cell growth factor, and Ia induction factor were identified as interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 3 (IL-3), and interferon-gamma respectively.