Surface glycoproteins of resting and activated human T lymphocytes.

This review summarizes some recent studies on the surface glycoproteins of human thymocytes and T lymphocytes. Purified cells were surface labeled by the galactose oxidase-NaB3H4 or periodate-NaB3H4 techniques. The radioactive membrane glycoproteins were separated by polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and visualized by fluorography. Thymocytes and T lymphocytes show characteristic surface glycoprotein profiles which are easily distinguishable from those of the other main groups of human leukocytes. We observed specific changes in the surface glycoprotein patterns which correlate with the degree of maturation and functional activation of T cells. Surface molecules carrying T cell specific antigens were identified by immune-precipitation from lysates of surface labeled thymocytes and T lymphocytes using rabbit anti-human T cell antibodies. Finally we describe a leukocyte membrane glycoprotein which is a precursor of serum alpha 1 acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid).