A single antigen-specific B cell can conjugate to either a type 1 or a type 2 helper T cell

V. M. Sanders, R. Fernandez-Botran, R. L. Coffman, T. R. Mosmann, E. S. Vitetta

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Keyhole-limpet-hemocyanin-specific I-A(d)-restricted T helper cells type 1 (T(H1) cells) and type 2 (T(H2) cells) were studied for their ability to physically conjugate to trinitrophenyl-specific antigen-binding B cells (TNP-ABCs). The same TNP-ABCs (which had already processed TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin) formed conjugates with one or the other T helper (T(H)) cell type, and conjugation was antigen-specific and major histocompatibility complex-restricted. The conjugation of a fixed number of one type of T(H) cell to the TNP-ABCs was inhibited by co-incubation with increasing numbers of cells of the other T(H) cell type. Thus, the vast majority of TNP-ABCs can conjugate to either type of T(H) cell. A similar pattern of inhibition of the conjugation of one T(H) cell type to the TNP-ABCs was seen when cells were co-incubated with increasing numbers of cells from an alloreactive T-cell clone. In all cases, conjugates contained only one T cell bound to one B cell, suggesting that interaction of an antigen-presenting B cell with one T(H) cell prevents the simultaneous binding of another T(H) cell.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7724-7728
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume85
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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