The cytotoxic response to murine cytomegalovirus. III. Lymphokine release and cytotoxicity are dependent upon phenotypically similar immune cell populations.

Abstract

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)-immune lymph node (LN) cells were generated following 4 days culture of draining popliteal LN cells removed after bilateral hind footpad inoculation of mice with 4 X 10(2) p.f.u. MCMV. This cell population expressed both cytotoxic activity against MCMV-infected mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) and the capacity to release lymphokine upon stimulation with MCMV-infected MEF. Cytotoxicity and lymphokine release were Class I, H-2-restricted, virus-specific and dependent upon Thy1. 2+, Lyt2+ cells. Mixing of 5 X 10(5) MCMV-immune T cells with an excess of syngeneic MCMV-infected MEF stimulators produced detectable levels of the lymphokine interleukin-3 by 1 h, with a ma..