Establishment and characterization of human T hybrid cells secreting immunoregulatory molecules.

Hybridization of human T cells with an azaguanine-resistant human T cell line gave rise to T hybrid cell lines secreting several immunoregulatory molecules. Analyses of karyotypes, HLA phenotypes, and other surface phenotypes, such as T-cell-specific antigens or receptors for sheep erythrocytes and the patterns of mitogen responsiveness confirmed that the hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine-resistant cell lines were human T-T hybridomas. One of the established hybrid clones (24-A) secreted human interleukin-2 (IL-2). The culture supernatants induced the proliferation of concanavalin A-stimulated murine T cells and supported the proliferation of an IL 2-dependent human cytotoxic T-cell line. In a clone (38-B) that did not show any IL-2 activity in culture supernatants, the addition of macrophages induced IL-2 production in the presence of phytohemagglutinin, suggesting that interleukin-1 induced IL-2 production in T hybrid cells. Hybrid cells secreting killer helper factor were also established. The culture supernatants from this clone, 55-A, helped the induction of cytotoxic T cells against UV-treated human B-blastoid cells but did not show any IL-2 activity.