Self recognition by autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction-primed cells.

Human T cells were separated with neuraminidase-treated autologous erythrocytes into auto-rosette-forming cells (ARFC) and non-ARFC (N-ARFC). These 2 subsets were examined for reactivity to autologous non-T cells. When N-ARFC were stimulated by autologous non-T cells, blastogenesis was weak; ARFC, however, proliferated vigorously. ARFC were revealed to be the major subset that responded and proliferated in autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR). AMLR-primed cells were restimulated by autologous or allogeneic non-T cells to study self recognition in relation to HLA complex. Self recognition by AMLR-primed cells was closely related to HLA complex, and absolute identity of HLA complex was necessary to recognize allogeneic cells as self. In addition, in respect to the responder cell difference between AMLR and allogeneic MLR, the reactivity of 2 kinds of cells (i.e., AMLR-primed cells and alloreactive cells) strongly suggested that autoreactive T cells were distinguished from alloreactive T cells.