Binding of poly (Glu⁶⁰Ala³⁰Tyr¹⁰) by thymic lymphocytes from genetic responder and non responder mice: effect of antihistocompatibility serum

The binding of ¹²⁵I labeled GAT by murine thymocytes was studied by autoradiography. GAT binding was highly temperature dependent. Significantly more thymocytes bound GAT at 37°C than at 4°C. GAT bound at 37°C was usually distributed in a 'cap' over one pole of the cell. Preincubation of thymocytes with specific anti H 2 serum markedly inhibited the subsequent binding of GAT. The frequency of antigen binding thymocytes was not significantly affected by preincubation of thymocytes with anti Thy 1 serum or a number of anti immunoglobulin in sera. The immune response to GAT is controlled by an H 2 linked immune response gene(s). Mice of strains that are H 2(p), H 2(q) or H 2(s) (non responders) fail to develop effective T cell helper function necessary for a humoral immune response to GAT under most conditions. However, both responder and non responder strains had similar numbers of thymocytes capable of binding GAT in vitro, indicating that T cells from non responder strains of mice do possess a recognition mechanism for GAT.