Role of self carriers in the immune response and tolerance. XI. Correlation of Ia expression and interleukin-1 production with delivery of immunogenic signals in vivo by hapten-modified accessory cell-like tumor lines.

It was recently demonstrated that a lymphoid dendritic-like tumor, P388AD.2, presented hapten-modified self (HMS) in an immunogenic fashion even after injection via the normally "tolerogenic" intravenous (iv) route. To determine whether this property was unique to the P388AD.2 line, other hapten-modified tumors were administered iv and the result of their presentation was measured by changes in the number of splenic plaque-forming cells (PFC) following in vitro challenge with thymic-independent antigens. Of the six tumors tested, two (P388 and J774.5R) primed for augmented PFC responses, while four others (P388NA.10, P388D1, WEHI-231, and 70Z/3) did not. When these tumors were compared for Ia expression and production of interleukin-1 (IL-1), it was discovered that (1) all of the immunogenic tumors were Ia+ and IL-1 producing (IL-1+), although not all Ia+,IL-1+ tumors could elicit augmented PFC responses; (2) none of the tumors that were deficient in either Ia expression or IL-1 production could prime B-cell responses in vivo; and (3) the ability to augment PFC responses was proportional to the density of Ia on the immunogenic tumors. These results demonstrated that P388AD.2 was not the only tumor line capable of presenting HMS iv as an immunogen, and that the accessory cell phenotype is critical for the induction of an immunogenic response in vivo.