Fc receptors on monocytes cause OKT3-treated lymphocytes to internalize T3 and to secrete IL-2.

Monocytes cause OKT3-treated T cells to secrete IL-2 and to lose cell surface T3. We have studied the fate of the "lost" T3. Immunofluorescence microscopy on permeabilized cells showed that monocytes induce T cells to internalize T3. Furthermore, experiments with radioiodinated T cells showed that the internalized T3 was not degraded and exhibited an unaltered polypeptide composition for at least 16 hr. The role of Fc receptors in inducing internalization was also investigated. Fc receptors were depleted from monocytes by allowing the phagocytes to spread on immune complexes. Such depleted monocytes exhibit a fourfold reduction in their ability to promote both internalization of T3 and production of IL-2. A comparable reduction is seen if F(ab')2 fragments of OKT3 were employed in place of intact IgG. Furthermore, monocyte Fc receptors that have been blocked by heat-aggregated human IgG also show much reduced capability for induction of OKT3-mediated T-cell proliferation. We therefore conclude that Fc receptors bind to the Fc domain of OKT3 and thereby cause OKT3-treated T cells to internalize T3 and become activated.