Murine T cells that lyse antibody-sensitized target cells. III. Contribution of Thy 1-Bearing cells to the lytic activity of normal spleen.

Murine spleen cells were analysed for their capacity to lyse 51Cr-labelled antibody-sensitized erythrocytes and a human lymphoma cell line. Incubation of spleen cells with iron powder followed by removal of iron-containing cells with a magnet significantly decreased the lytic capacity of the remaining cells against erythrocyte target cells. However, substantial cytotoxicity remained in the relatively phagocyte-depleted population. Both antibody-sensitized erythrocytes and tumour cells were lysed by phagocyte-depleted effector cells. However, more spleen cells were required to lyse nucleated target cells than were required to produce comparable lysis of the erythrocytes. Such phagocyte-depleted spleen cells were subsequently treated with three different antisera containing specificities for thymus-dependent antigens and a monoclonal IgM anti-Thy 1.2 in the presence of complement. The remaining viable cells were recovered and tested as effector cells. All four reagents in the presence of complement caused an inhibition of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) that was proportional to the percentage of T cells eliminated. However, the antisera also inhibited ADCC in the absence of complement, even when the cells were trypsinized following the antiserum treatment to remove attached antibodies. On the other hand, treatment of spleen cells with the monoclonal IgM anti-Thy 1.2 followed by trypsin treatment did not inhibit ADCC unless complement was added. Thus, with the latter reagent, decreased ADCC could be ascribed to elimination of T cells and not immune complex inhibition. Cells bearing Thy 1.2 accounted for approximately half of the lytic activity of phagocyte-depleted spleen cells against antibody-sensitized target cells.