Cytotoxic T cell responses to haptenated cells II. On the role of H‐2 genes

Abstract

Abstract Cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses to cells coupled with high or low doses of the hapten 3‐(p‐sulfophenyldiazo)‐4‐hydroxyphenyl acetic acid (SP) were studied. CTL responses to densely coupled cells were obtained with all mouse strains tested. Only mice carrying the K k allele responded to sparsely coupled cells. Mice expressing I‐A k but not K k were nonresponders. (Responder × nonresponder) F 1 hybrids responded in vitro to sparsely coupled cells from responder but not from nonresponder mice. However, responder mice could be cross‐primed in vivo with SP‐coupled cells from nonresponder mice. CTL responding to sparsely coupled cells were restricted to K k . Cross‐reactive lysis of target cells not carrying the K k allele was dependent on the hapten density and the H‐2 haplotype carried by the target cells.