HLA class II restriction specificity for nickel-reactive T lymphocytes.

Nickel-specific T cells were primed in vitro and restimulated with nickel in combination with autologous or allogeneic antigen-presenting cells. We have previously shown that not only DR, but also DQ molecules may take part in this process. To investigate this phenomenon further we applied recently available knowledge based on studies using specific cDNA probes and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP), which has revealed a new level of DQ polymorphism, to search for a correlation of this polymorphism in the function of nickel-reactive T lymphocytes. We found that DQ, and presumably also DR, may restrict the proliferative response to nickel. The capacity of various antigen-presenting cells to cause restimulation correlated well, though not completely, with the specificity DQw1. RFLP splits of DQw1 did not yield any additional information on restriction specificity. Experiments using anti DR, DQ and DP monoclonal antibodies were performed, showing similar blocking capacity in all three antibodies. Work with cloned T cells is in progress to obtain more clearcut results concerning the HLA class II restriction of the proliferative T lymphocyte response to nickel.