Influence of T cell specificity on the antibody response to the acetylcholine receptor

Lymph node T cells were obtained from rats immunized with purified acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or isolated receptor subunits (α, β, γ, or σ). The immune T cells were then analyzed for their ability to respond to native AChR or AChR subunit challenge in an in vitro proliferation assay, as well as to perform as helper T cells (T_H) in an in vitro anti-AChR antibody response. Results indicated a significant degree of subunit-to-subunit crossreactivity at the T cell level. Moreover, helper function could be generated by stimulation of T cells immune to any of the AChR subunits, although α-immune T_H cells appeared to provide a quantifiably increased level of specific antibody production by AChR-immune B cells in vitro when compared to antibody produced by the same B cells in conjunction when β-, γ-, or σ-immune T_H cells.