Con A-induced TCGF-reactivity is selectively acquired by Lyt-2-positive T cell precursors.

We investigated whether concanavalin A-stimulated, TCGF-reactive, and TCGF-producing T cells could be separated with regard to their Lyt phenotypes. Normal spleen cells, pretreated with monoclonal anti-Lyt-1 or anti-Lyt-2 antibodies and complement were assayed for their capacity to respond to TCGF, as well as for their ability to produce TCGF after Con A stimulation. The results demonstrate that reactivity to TCGF is predominantly induced in Lyt-2+ lymphocytes, because it is reduced by more than 95% in Lyt-1+23- T cell populations as compared with cultures containing Lyt-1-23+ cells. Limiting dilution analysis revealed that up to 20% of the cells in Lyt-2-containing populations were induced by Con A to TCGF-reactivity, whereas 20-fold fewer clones were induced in the Lyt-2-depleted cell populations. On the other hand, the study of TCGF production in Lyt-1-23+ populations revealed that the former population was considerably enriched in TCGF-producing T cells, whereas the latter was substantially depleted. We conclude that TCGF-producing and TCGF-reactive T cells are largely distinct lymphocyte populations that can be separated on the basis of their Lyt phenotypes.