Inhibition of mixed lymphocyte response by a rat monoclonal antibody to a novel murine lymphocyte activation antigen (MALA-2).

A novel surface antigen expressed on activated and proliferating murine lymphocytes has been identified by a rat monoclonal antibody. The antigen, termed MALA-2, is also expressed on various lymphoid cell lines, but it is absent or present at very low densities on the majorities of unstimulated thymocytes and lymph node cells. Some cells in normal spleen and bone marrow seem to express the antigen at relatively high densities and they may represent proliferating cells in these tissues. MALA-2 has an apparent m.w. of 95,000 to 100,000 under both reducing and nonreducing conditions. The monoclonal antibody YN1/1.7 that reacts with this antigen partially inhibits Con A stimulation of spleen cells, but its inhibition of LPA stimulation is negligible. Furthermore, the antibody profoundly inhibits MLR. The inhibition of MLR by YN1/1.7 antibody is comparable to that caused by anti-transferrin receptor. The time course study suggests that the antibody may directly inhibit proliferating cell populations in MLR.