Expression of Helix pomatia (HP) haemagglutinin receptors on cytolytic lymphocytes activated in mixed cultures

The expression of receptors for Helix pomatia (HP) haemagglutinin, a T cell marker, was assayed on human lymphocytes cultivated with K562 or allogeneic lymphocytes. The receptor was detected on the cells after neuraminidase treatment by reactivity with FITC conjugated HP. By affinity chromatography the lymphocyte populations were separated into 3 subsets: (1) a subset which did not attach to the lectin column; (2) and (3) two subsets attaching with different avidities, and therefore eluting with different concentrations of the lectin-binding sugar hapten. The subsets were characterized for T cell markers, HP and E receptors, the B cell marker SIg and also for Fc receptors, and were tested for lytic potential against K562 and allogeneic blasts. A high proportion of HP receptor positive T blasts did not attach to the lectin column, and thus had low avidity HP receptors, confirming that activation of T lymphocytes is accompanied by decreased expression of T markers. The passed fraction which was enriched in blasts had the strongest cytotoxic function, while the fraction rich in cells with high avidity HP receptors and containing mainly small cells, had weak activity. This was true for both the anti-K562 and allospecific activities. Thus the phenotypic characteristics of the cells exerting the two types of lytic function were similar. The distribution of the lytic potential in the three subsets correlated with the presence of E and EA receptor positive blasts.