Abstract
Human CD4 inducer T lymphocytes consist of two functionally distinct subpopulations. The monoclonal antibody anti-2H4 identifies CD4 cells that induce T suppressor cell function and proliferate in the AMLR, while the monoclonal antibody anti-4B4 identifies CD4 cells that primarily induce B cell help. To define the ontogeny of these inducer subpopulations we studied their number and functional capabilities in seven patients following allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMTx). During the first 90 days following BMTx, both the helper/inducer CD4+ 4B4+ and suppressor/inducer CD4+ 2H4+ subpopulations were elevated (BMTx CD4+ 4B4+ = 75±3% versus control = 42±3%; BMTx CD4+ 2H4+ = 77±5% versus control = 43±2%). However, there was a paradoxical deficiency in the function of the two subpopulations. BMTx patients had a depressed AMLR stimulation index of 3.2±0.5% of control. The post-BMTx CD4+ 4B4+ cells provided poor help for IgG synthesis in a pokeweed mitogen driven co-culture of autologous T and B cells (116±50% of expected IgG synthesis in the BMTx patients versus 465±185% in the controls). Control T cells provided normal help to BMTx B cells (472±176%) but post-BMTx T cells could not provide help for control B cells (135±43%). These data suggest that there is a progenitor cell subpopulation within the CD4 population in post-BMTx that carries both the 2H4 and 4B4 antigenic markers, but does not have the functional capabilities of the terminally differentiated mature CD4 subpopulations.
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Sleasman, J., Barrett, D. ONTOGENY OF HUMAN CD4 LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS FOLLOWING BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 318 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00907
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00907