Detection of shared H-2K(k) and H-2D(k) antigens that function as self determinants for cell-mediated lympholysis to trinitrophenyl-self

Spleen cells from C3H/He mice immunized in vivo to trinitrophenyl (TNP)-self were sensitized in vitro to TNP-self. These spleen cells displayed strong lysis on TNP-modified H-2D end-matched (K(d)-D(k)) targets as well as enhanced cytotoxicity against H-2 matched (K(k)-D(k)) or H-2K end-matched (K(k)-D(d)) target cells. Cold target-blocking studies showed that the lysis of TNP-K(d)-D(k) targets could be blocked by the addition of TNP-modified K(k)-D(k), K(k)-D(d), K(k)-D(b), or K(d)-D(k), but not by TNP-modified K(d)-D(d), K(b)-D(b) and K(q)-D(q) spleen cells. These results demonstrate that the lysis of TNP-K(d)-D(k) targets is not due to cross-reactive clones against TNP-K(d)-D(d), K(b)-D(b) or K(q)-D(q) antigens. Inhibition of the TNP-K(d)-D(k) target lysis by TNP-K(k)-matched (K(k)-D(d) or K(k)-D(b)) as well as TNP-D(k)-matched (K(d)-D(k)) blockers also reveals that this target is lysed by clones directed against shared antigens between K(k)-TNP and D(k)-TNP, indicating that no cytotoxic response restricted for D(k)-TNP only could be detected even after in vivo priming.