Heterogeneous and monoclonal helper T cells induce similar anti-(4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) antibody populations in the primary adoptive response. I. Isotype distribution.

In the response to NP-lipopolysaccharide or NP-Ficoll predominantly anti-NP antibodies of the IgM class are produced in mice with lower amounts of IgG3 and IgG2b but little or no IgG1 and IgG2a. In contrast, in the primary T-dependent response to NP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or NP-chicken gamma globulin high amounts of all IgG isotypes are induced. To investigate whether isotype-specific T cells are responsible for these differences we carried out cell transfer experiments using carrier-specific T cell lines. Two such lines were established and one of the two could be cloned. Upon activation by antigen the T cell lines induced unprimed syngeneic splenic B cells to proliferate and differentiate into antibody-secreting cells in vitro in an antigen-nonspecific way. Antigen-specific activation of unprimed B cells in a cell transfer system in vivo showed that high concentrations of hapten-specific antibodies of all IgG isotypes are induced through both carrier-specific T helper lines. The isotypic pattern of these antibodies is similar to that produced via heterogeneous splenic T cells in the cell transfer system, or in normal animals on immunization with the same antigen. These results suggest that isotype-specific T cells are not required for the production of IgG isotypes in a primary anti-NP response and thus not responsible for the differences seen in isotypic patterns between T-dependent and T-independent responses.