AbstractOptimal activation of T15 idiotype‐bearing B cells has been shown previously to be influenced by two subsets of Thy‐1+, Ly‐1+,2−sIg−helper T cells. One of the helper T cell sets appears to be T15 specific in that its presence results in a selective augmentation of T15‐bearing anti‐phosphorylcholine (PC) plaque‐forming cell responses. To determine the precise specificity of the idiotype‐specific helper T cell (ThId), Ly‐1 T cells were tested in anin vitroanti‐PC response for their ability to bind directly to T15 myeloma protein‐coated plastic plates. Specificity of this binding was ascertained by competitive inhibition of plate binding using idiotypically related myeloma or hybridoma proteins. These data suggest that the Ly‐1 T cells which augment T15‐bearing plaque‐forming cell responses can bind to T15‐coated plates and are T15 idiotype specific. This approach is being used currently to attempt to clone ThId cells to further analyze their activation
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