The major histocompatibility complex-restricted antigen receptor on T cells. IV. An antiidiotypic antibody predicts both antigen and I-specificity.

In order to prove that a monoclonal antibody, KJ1-26.1, reacted with the idiotypic portion of the receptor for antigen plus major histocompatibility complex product (Ag/MHC) on the T cell hybridoma D0-11.10, 397 independent T cell hybridomas prepared from BALB/c T cells primed with ovalbumin were screened by ELISA for reactivity with the antibody. Of these T cell hybridomas one, 7D0-286, and a subclone of this hybridoma, 7D0-286.2, reacted strongly and consistently with KJ1-26.1. Further analysis revealed that KJ1-26.1 blocked the reaction of 7D0-286 with Ag/MHC, and that 7D0-286 had the same fine specificity both for Ag and MHC as D0-11.10. None of 207 other BALB/c T cell hybridomas specific for ovalbumin shared these fine specificity patterns. Thus, reaction with KJ1-26.1 defined the specificity of a T cell hybridoma both for Ag and MHC, suggesting that KJ1-26.1 reacted with the receptors for Ag/MHC on the T cells in question. KJ1-26.1 precipitated an 85-kdalton molecule from 7D0-286.2 that on reduction ran as a diffuse spot of approximately 43 kdaltons. A similar molecule was precipitated from D0-11.10.