Characterization of monoclonal antibodies that define rat T cell alloantigens.

A panel of monoclonal antibodies with specificity for rat T cell alloantigens was prepared by somatic cell hybridization with the use of spleen cells from either BH (ART-1b, 2b) or NBR (ART-1b, 2a) rats immunized with LEW (ART-1a, 2a) thymus, spleen, or lymph node cells. Comparison of the antibodies resulted in three distinct patterns of complement-mediated cytotoxicity. Further comparison of four representative hybridoma antibodies with antisera having specificity for ART antigens by indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated that two of the three patterns corresponded to anti-ART-1a and anti-ART-2a specificities. The patterns of binding of the anti-ART hybridomas were shown to be different from those produced by mouse monoclonal antibodies having anti-leukocyte-common (L-C) or anti-Thy-1.1 activities as well as antibodies produced by the monoclonal W3/25, which detect a subpopulation of T lymphocytes. Functional studies performed in vitro with cells fractionated by treatment with the monoclonal anti-ART antibodies and complement showed the ART-1 determinant recognized by the hybridoma products BC 84A or BY 12.3 is expressed by mature cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) and by cells involved in the generation of CTL during MLR, but not plaque-forming cells. Together, the data suggest the antibodies BC 84A and BY 12.3 can be used to define rat T cell populations. To date, the functional significance of cell populations recognized by monoclonal antibodies having anti-ART-2a or anti-ART-3-like activities has not been determined.