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Notes: The binding of mitogenic lectins phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A) and/or of monoclonal antibodies to different receptors such as antigen receptor complex or CD2 on human T cells generates increases in the concentrations of inositol triphosphate (IP3) and cytoplasmic free calcium. This T lymphocyte requires the delivery of two signals; the first can be provided by specific monoclonal antibodies or by mitogenic lectins, and the second by a phorbol ester, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). In other cells such as macrophages, the rise of intracellular calcium via the generation of IP3 and stimulation of protein kinase C can activate the phospholipase A2, a calcium-dependent enzyme. This enzyme initiates the release of reactive oxygen intermediates and metabolites of arachidonic acid. In order to know whether this other metabolic pathway can be generated in T cells, we tested the capacity of different T-cell lines and clones to produce superoxide anion after stimulation by the above-mentioned activating agents. In this paper, we demonstrate that treatment of the Jurkat human cell line with Con A, PHA, and PMA results in a significant release of reactive oxygen metabolites. Of the various T-cell lines and clones tested, only Jurkat exhibited an oxidative burst. Moreover, none of the antibodies tested (anti-CD3, anti-CD2, and anti-CD28) and known to activate T cells, and none of the immune complexes was able to mediate such an effect. The existence of an oxidative metabolism in at least one T-cell line suggests that T-cell activation may in some instances use another metabolic pathway.

Notes: The now classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted receptor for antigen on human T lymphocytes has been identified as a 90 kDa disulphide-linked heterodimer composed of two glycoproteins termed α and β. More recently, another type of T cell receptor for antigen has been described. which seems to mediate killing of target cells without any obvious requirement for MHC recognition. This T cell receptor for antigen is also a heterodimer composed of γ, λ chains non-covalently associated with the three mon morphic CD3 subunits. Another disulphide-linked dimer capable of triggering T lymphocytes has been defined recently by a monoclonal antibody: the anti-human 9.3 antigen. In order to generate monoclonal or polyclonal reagents against variable and constant regions of the T cell receptor chains and against new epitopes of the 9.3 antigen, we have developed a biochemical method of purification of T lymphocyte disulphide-linked dimers. Our method relies on two biochemical properties of the 9.3 surface molecule and the T cell receptor for antigen. (1) They are disulphide-linked dimers and thus can be separated from the vast majority of the cell surface molecules by two-dimensional (non-reduced versus reduced) sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). (2) T cell receptor chains are less hydrophobic than the 9.3 antigen, and thus can be isolated from it on reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at a lower concentration of acetonitrile. Microsomal preparations from T cell clones and leukaemia lines were prepared by nitrocavitation and lysed in sodium deoxycholate. After concentration, this lysate was electrophoresed on SDS–PAGE in non-reducing conditions. The gel slice corresponding to the molecular weight of the T cell receptor was cut out and run in reducing conditions in the second dimension. The T cell receptor spots were easily located on the gel by autoradiography as the microsomal lysate had been mixed with iodinated glycoproteins. The T cell receptor was eluted from the gel with about 85% yield. At this stage, the T cell receptor preparations also contained the 9.3 antigen, another disulphide-linked dimer. The separation of this antigen from the T cell receptor chains had been achieved on reverse-phase HPLC. This procedure allows the purification and separation of two disulphide-linked dimers which are both involved in T cell activation. The obtention of antibodies against new epitopes of these important molecules would be extremely useful for analysing their role in T cell function and ontogeny.