Production of hepatitis B virus-infected human B-cell hybridomas: transmission of the viral genome to normal lymphocytes in cocultures.

The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and transcripts in mononuclear cells from a patient with acute type B hepatitis offered the possibility of developing a cell line which could serve as a model for HBV replication in lymphocytes. A human B-cell hybridoma, KDG92, was then produced which carries HBV DNA in an episomal state and expresses the major virus transcripts as well as its surface (HBsAg), core (HBcAG), and e (HBeAg) antigens. KDG92 releases in the supernatant surface antigen particles but not core or Dane particles. However, in cocultures this hybridoma is able to transmit episomal HBV DNA to normal lymphocytes, both T and B cells. This in vitro system can therefore provide important indications as to the virus life cycle in lymphocytes and the mechanisms of virus propagation from cell to cell.

Interactions between hepatitis B virus and polymeric human serum albumin. II. Development of syngeneic monoclonal anti-anti-idiotypes which mimic hepatitis B surface antigen in the induction of immune responsiveness.

We used monoclonal anti-idiotypes (anti-Id) 63.14, previously shown to mimic polymeric human serum albumin (polyHSA) and bind its receptor on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), to produce syngeneic monoclonal anti-anti-Id (Ab3) which could bear the internal image of HBsAg and mimic its immunogenicity in vivo. Nine hybridomas obtained from spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with 63.14 were isolated, which were able to inhibit the binding of alkaline phosphatase-conjugated 63.14 to HBsAg. Both direct and competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that 4 of these clones were able to mimic HBsAg since they reacted with polyHSA and inhibited the binding of monoclonal and polyclonal anti-HBsAg to the viral antigen. To determine whether these Ab3 could induce an immune response against HBsAg in vivo, we injected a series of rabbits with Ab3 G11 or HBsAg and tested their sera after the second boost. ELISA, radioimmunoassay and Western blot experiments showed that G11 was as effective as HBsAg in inducing a specific anti-HBsAg immune response. These data indicate that our Ab3 can mimic HBsAg both in vitro and in vivo and might be useful as alternative vaccine for HBV infection.

Interactions between hepatitis B virus and polymeric human albumin. I. Production of monoclonal anti-idiotypes (anti-anti-polymeric human albumin) which recognize hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

In an attempt to characterize the polymeric human albumin (polyHSA) receptor expressed on hepatitis B virus and hepatocytes, we have used a human anti-polyHSA IgG to generate monoclonal anti-idiotypes (anti-Id) which bear the internal image of polyHSA and mimic its binding activity. Two monoclonal anti-Id antibodies, 63.14 and 70.F9, were strongly reactive in both radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the F(ab')2 of the immunogen as well as with purified hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) expressing various subtypes. The specificity of the binding of anti-Id to HBsAg was confirmed in direct ELISA and by Western blot analysis. These experiments also showed that the anti-Id bind to a site expressed on the major 24-kDa protein of HBsAg particles, and that this recognition is specifically inhibited by polyHSA. Experiments on cellular staining and radioimmunoprecipitation on HBsAg-positive and -negative cell lines showed that the anti-Id recognize intracellular HBsAg but not other liver cell proteins, including the putative polyHSA receptor. These data indicate, therefore, that the monoclonal anti-Id mimic the binding activity of polyHSA and recognize its binding site on the virus. The inability of both anti-Id to react with the hepatocyte surface suggests either the absence of a specific hepatic polyHSA receptor or the expression of one with a different configuration.

Preparation and characterization of human monoclonal antibodies directed against the hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is highly immunogenic and induces an antibody response which is protective in vivo against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Human monoclonal antibodies specific for HBsAg were produced, which could have potential therapeutic applications. Lymphocytes obtained from a vaccinated donor were stimulated in vitro and fused with the human myeloma cell line GM 4672, and eight hybridomas were obtained. Three of these clones, which reacted in an ELISA against the HBsAg vaccine, were expanded, subcloned and further analyzed. The subclones E7C2, C4C10, and D5B2 were able to bind to different HBsAg preparations, which express various subtypes, and recognized the major HBsAg peptides in Western blot analysis. Cross-inhibition experiments showed that E7C2, C4C10 and D5B2 are directed against the same epitope and have an affinity constant ranging from 5 X 10(7) to 3.3 X 10(9) M. Furthermore, these antibodies stained the surface and cytoplasm of the HBsAg-secreting cell lines PLC/PRF/5 and 4.10. The production of immunoglobulins varies from 0.3 to 1.3 micrograms/ml/10(6) and has remained stable over a period of 8 months. These human monoclonal antibodies, which appear to be directed against an antigenic determinant common to all HBsAg subtypes, could be useful in the study of HBV-related liver diseases as well as in their diagnosis and experimental therapy.

Antigen recognition by a T cell clone outside the context of the major histocompatibility complex. A role for Mls in antigen presentation.

A T cell clone isolated from antigen-primed CB6/F1 mice was shown to proliferate to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) in the presence of irradiated syngeneic F1 spleen cells, as well as spleen cells from either parental strain (BALB/c and C57BL/6). The genetic restriction involved in this antigen-specific proliferation was mapped using BXD (C57BL/6 X DBA/2) recombinant inbred strains of mice to the Mls gene on chromosome one. To exclude the role of Ia antigens as the restricting determinants, monoclonal anti-Ia antibodies were used to block the in vitro proliferative response of this clone. Although anti-Iab and anti-Iad blocked the proliferation of this clone to KLH in the presence of irradiated spleen cells from either parent, this effect was shown to be dependent on Ia molecules passively absorbed by the T cell clone from the irradiated filler cells. Since the T clone expressed Thy-1.2 and Lyt-1+ differentiation markers, its helper activity was compared with other KLH carrier-specific clones in an in vitro antibody synthesis assay. The Mls-KLH-restricted T cell clone, in contrast to other carrier-specific, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T cell clones, was unable to cooperate with trinitrophenyl (TNP)-primed B cells in the presence of TNP-KLH to generate an anti-TNP response. These experiments suggest that non-MHC determinants, such as autologous Mls gene products, may play a role in genetically restricted antigen recognition by T lymphocytes.

Thymic epithelium is programmed to induce preleukemic changes in retrovirus expression and thymocyte differentiation in leukemia susceptible mice: studies on bone marrow and thymic chimeras.

In the leukemia-prone AKR thymus, ecotropic and xenotropic-related viruses are expressed that generate leukemogenic recombinant viruses before the onset of leukemia. We have shown previously that (AKR X NZB)F1 hybrid mice do not develop leukemia because they severely restrict the expression of these retroviruses in their thymuses. The thymic microenvironment of the (AKR X NZB)F1 mice appeared to be of particular importance in determining this restriction, which was specified by an NZB-derived genetic influence. In the present study we analyze reciprocal thymus graft and irradiation bone marrow chimeras to establish that this influence is exerted by thymic reticuloepithelial cells. Prospective studies with thymic epithelial grafts from young mice show that the AKR thymic epithelium can simultaneously induce the amplified expression of retroviral genes, and changes in patterns of thymocyte differentiation that precede the development of leukemia, whereas the (AKR X NZB)F1 thymic epithelium is deficient in this regard.

Altered natural killer cell biology in C57BL/6 mice after leukemogenic split-dose irradiation.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity was examined in the spleens of C57BL/6 mice given leukemogenic split-dose irradiation. The radiation protocol resulted in severe depression of spontaneous NK cell activity; this activity was not fully restored after treatment with the interferon inducer poly I:C. In vitro mixing studies provided no evidence for active suppression in vivo as a mechanism for this decrease in activity. In addition, spontaneous activity was restored towards control levels after bone marrow transfusion from nonirradiated mice. Despite the low NK cell activity, there was no difference between control and irradiated mice in the numbers of target-binding cells (TBC). The results are most compatible with the radiation-induced loss of a cell with normal NK activity from spleen and bone marrow after the split-dose radiation protocol. In addition, a population of cells able to competitively block normal NK cell lysis of YAC-1 tumor cells is found in the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus of the irradiated mice lacking NK cell activity. These findings are considered from the perspective of their implications regarding NK cell ontogeny, and the possible role of the NK cell in radiation leukemogenesis.

Surface phenotypes in T-cell leukaemia are determined by oncogenic retroviruses.

Spontaneous thymic leukaemia in experimental mice is the result of a complex series of genetically controlled events. An important step in this process involves the production by thymocytes of recombinant polytropic retroviruses (MCF viruses). These leukaemogenic agents arise by recombination of genes from the env regions of endogenous precursor viruses. Sequences in these regions encode the envelope glycoprotein gp70 (ref. 6). Thus far, each cloned isolate of recombinant virus from AKR and HRS/J mice has been found to possess unique oligonucleotide sequences in its env region, as well as clone-specific peptides in its gp70 (refs 7,8). Therefore, the polytropic viruses of these leukaemia-susceptible mice are extremely diverse. These findings suggest that random recombination of env genes gives rise to leukaemogenic polytropic viruses. McGrath and Weissman have proposed that thymocytes with cell surface receptors for the gp70 of a particular leukaemogenic virus are the target cells for malignant transformation by that specific virus. In view of the diversity of polytropic viral gp70, their hypothesis would predict extensive phenotypic diversity among spontaneous thymic leukaemias. In contrast, leukaemias induced by a particular leukaemogenic recombinant virus would always have the same phenotype. Here we verify these predictions experimentally.

Immunologic abnormalities in HRS/J mice. I. Specific deficit in T lymphocyte helper function in a mutant mouse.

An immunologic analysis of mutants HRS/J mice was done comparing hr/hr homozygotes to hr/+ heterozygotes. It was shown that hr/hr spleen but not lymph node cells show a defect specific for functions associated with T helper cells as compared to hr/+ littermates. This defect, which is expressed by depressed proliferative responses to alloantigens, does not affect the ability of hr/hr spleen cells to respond normally to T cell mitogens nor does it affect their ability to generate normal cytotoxic effector cells in vitro. It is further suggested that this defect is due to an abnormality in thymus epithelium, which is also related to the high grade expression of xenotropic virus in old hr/hr thymocytes and subsequent development of leukemia.

The influence of hapten-conjugated isologous mouse gamma-globulin as a tolerogen on H-2 restricted cytotoxic effector cells.

Hapten-conjugated isologous mouse gamma-globulin (TNP-MGG) can induce specific unresponsiveness in spleen populations for primary antibody responses in vitro to both T-dependent (TNP-KLH) and T-independent (TNP-LPS) antigens. This was also tested simultaneously for its influence on spleen populations in the generation of cytotoxic effector cell populations to hapten-modified self. Unlike its effect on primary antibody responses (tolerogenic), TNP-MGG does not inhibit the generation of cytotoxic T cells against TNBS-treated syngeneic spleen cells. TNP-MGG was also unable to act as an immunogen in generating cytotoxic effectors against TNBS-treated spleen cells. These data show that although TNP-MGG has a tolerogenic effect on B lymphocytes (and possibly helper T lymphocytes) it does not block the generation of killer T lymphocytes directed against the hapten-modified spleen cells. A different mechanism of tolerance induction for TNP-MGG compared to hapten-modified syngeneic murine spleen is therefore suggested.

Phenotypic alteration in retroviral gene expression by leukemia-resistant thymocytes differentiating in leukemia-susceptible recipients.

(AKR x NZB)F1 mice possess the dominant genes, Akv-1, Akv-2, Nzv-1a and Nzv-2a, which determine the expression of ecotropic and xenotropic viruses. Nevertheless, their thymic lymphocytes fail to produce these agents, and these mice are resistant to leukemia. We investigated the mechanism of this cell-specific restriction in radiation chimeras. (AKR x NZB)F1 thymocytes that had differentiated in lethally irradiated AKR recipients produced high levels of ecotropic and xenotropic viruses and showed marked amplification of MuLV antigen expression. Polytropic viruses could also be isolated from such thymocytes. These virological changes in chimeric thymocytes were donor- and host-specific and occurred only when (AKR x NZB)F1 bone marrow cells were inoculated into AKR recipients. This inductive capacity of the host environment could be detected in irradiated AKR recipients as early as age 2 months. The phenotypic changes brought about in leukemia-resistant (AKR x NZB)F1 thymocytes by the leukemia-susceptible AKR thymic microenvironment may be the result of a three-component inductive system.