Phenotype of syngeneic tumor-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and requirements for their in vitro generation from tumor-bearing host and immune spleens.

Cells required for the in vitro generation of syngeneic cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) against the P815 mastocytoma in the DBA/2 mouse strain were investigated. For both immune and tumor-bearing host spleen cells, CTL effector cells were eliminated by treatment with anti-Thy1.2, anti-Lyt1.1, or anti-Lyt2.1 and C', but were resistant to anti-L3T4 (GK1.5). Thus, CTL effectors (and their precursors) were Lyt1+2+, L3T4-. However, P815-specific CTL could not be generated in the absence of L3T4+ cells, whose function could be replaced with exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2). When monoclonal antibodies against L3T4 were added to mixed leukocyte tumor cultures, CTL generation was markedly inhibited. Depletion of accessory cells also led to a marked reduction in CTL generation, which could be restored to control levels by adding adherent cells from normal spleens or with exogenous IL-2, but not with IL-1. Thus, accessory cells are apparently required to present the tumor antigens of this Ia-negative tumor to T-helper cells.