Functional analysis of human T cell subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies. VI. Distinct and opposing immunoregulatory functions within the OKT8+ population.

In the present study, we investigated the immunoregulatory potential of OKT8+ cells after in vitro activation. Initial studies had demonstrated that the T cell marker OKT4 identifies T cell sets containing helper cells, whereas OKT8 reacts with the suppressor and cytotoxic T cell effectors. More detailed analysis of the OKT4+ subset, however, demonstrated that there is functional heterogeneity in the OKT4+ population. The evidence for this heterogeneity arose from studies on (1) the relative radiosensitivities of the distinct immunoregulatory functions of cells contained within this set, and, (2) the effects of the state of activation of this population on immune function. For example, OKT4+ cells included radiosensitive helper cells, radioresistant helper cells, and radiosensitive inducers of suppressor cells. Furthermore, after activation, the OKT4+ population also contained cells capable of suppressing B cell differentiation. Since activation of the OKT4+ population results in the emergence of cells with counterbalancing immunoregulatory properties, it was of interest to determine whether the state of activation of the OKT8+ population influences the immunoregulatory potential of this subset. In the experiments reported here E+ cells were cultured with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) for 60-70 h and then thoroughly depleted of OKT4+ cells, leaving OKT8+ cells. The ability of the PWM-activated OKT8+ cells (first culture) to exert suppressive activity was determined by adding graded numbers of these cells to fresh autologous OKT4+ cells and B cells. The cell mixtures were cultured in the presence of PWM for 5 days and then assayed for plaque-forming-cell (PFC) activity by the reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Our studies demonstrate that activation of OKT8+ cells results in the emergence of cells with apparently counterbalancing immunoregulatory properties. Activated nonirradiated OKT8+ cells consistently suppressed B cell immunoglobulin production. However, the immunoregulatory function mediated by irradiated activated OKT8+ cells is highly dependent on the magnitude of the helper activity obtained with fresh OKT4+ cells. Thus, irradiated activated OKT8+ cells suppressed the generation of PFC only when the level of helper activity was optimal. However, when the level of help was not optimal, no suppressor activity was observed; rather, under these conditions, irradiated activated OKT8+ cells amplify the PFC response. We would emphasize that the amplification function of irradiated OKT8+ cells depends strictly on the presence of fresh OKT4+ cells. Irradiated activated OKT8+ cells alone are not helper cells, since addition of these cells to B cells thoroughly dep