Monoclonal antibodies which react with bovine T-lymphocyte antigens and induce blastogenesis: tissue distribution and functional characteristics of the target antigens.

In this study we report on the tissue distribution and functional characteristics of bovine T-cell differentiation antigens recognized by the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) IL-A26, IL-A27, and IL-A28. All three mAbs are able to stimulate proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) and inhibit proliferation of responder cells in mixed leucocyte cultures (MLC). MAbs IL-A27 and IL-A28 are believed to react with the same molecule, which is different to that recognized by IL-A26 as determined by a number of criteria. MAbs IL-A27 and IL-A28 inhibit binding of one another, but not of IL-A26. MAbs IL-A27 and IL-A28 react with 25% of thymocytes confined to the medulla, whereas IL-A26 reacts with approximately 80% of thymocytes, including medullary and cortical populations. MAbs IL-A27 and IL-A28 react with thymocytes which express BoT4 or BoT8 singularly, whereas IL-A26 reacts with all cells which express BoT4 or BoT8, either singularly or dually, in addition to all thymocytes which react with IL-A27/28. Only IL-A26 inhibits spontaneous sheep erythrocyte (E)-rosette formation by bovine T cells. Based on tissue distribution and functional characteristics, IL-A26 is believed to recognize the bovine homologue of CD2, designated BoT2, whereas IL-A27/28 reacts with a mature T-cell antigen. Cells reactive with the mAbs constitute approximately 60% of bovine PBM. Using these mAbs in dual immunofluorescence analyses, at least three populations of bovine T cells are demonstrable in PBM. The majority of T cells are BoT4+ or BoT8+ and also react with IL-A26/27/28. A second small population of PBM is negative for BoT4 and BoT8 but is IL-A26/27/28+. A third population (less than 5%) is BoT4-/BoT8-/ILA27/28- but reacts with IL-A26.