Negative selection experiments support the idea that T-T help is required for the H-Y-specific cytotoxic T cell response

Abstract

Antigen-primed female thoracic duct lymphocyte (TDL) populations (B6, H-2KbI-AbDb) were depleted of T cells specific for the male H-Y antigen presented in the context of I-Ab, by negative selection through irradiated male H-2KbI-AbDb recipients. This ocedure substantially removed the capacity of such TDL to respond to H-Y-H-2Db. The response can be reconstituted by adding either smaller numbers of unfiltered, H-Y-primed, B6 female TDL or anti-Ly-2-treated memory T cells. The results thus support the idea that concurrent presence of helper T cells specific for H-Y-H-2-I-Ab is required for the generation of secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to H-Y-H-2Db. This is discussed in the conte..