This study was undertaken to resolve a positive mixed lymphocyte reaction between HLA-ABC identical, HLA-D different siblings. Three CD3+ CD4+ CD8- alloreactive T-lymphocyte clones, called 2/6, 7/1, and 7/2, were generated and extensively studied. Proliferation of 2/6 cells and 7/2 cells was blocked by anti-DQ monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), whereas anti-DR and DP were not effective. Stimulation of 7/1 cells was inhibited by anti-DR, but not by anti-DQ and DP mAbs. Testing on a well-characterized panel of reference B-lymphoblastoid cell lines showed that the DQ-specific clones 2/6 and 7/2 were able to proliferate upon stimulation by cells carrying the DQw7 and DQw8 but not the DQw9 subtype of DQw3. Clone 7/1 was proliferative towards cells expressing DRw11.1 but not towards DRw11.2- or DRw12-positive cells. Moreover, this clone detected determinants present on some DRw8 cells. Correlation of the reactivity of clone 7/1 with available sequence data suggests that amino acids 67, 71, and 86 of DR beta 1 molecules played a crucial role in forming the epitope recognized by this clone. In contrast, sharing of T-cell epitopes between DQw7 and DQw8 subtypes was not inferable from specific amino acid residues. The implication of these findings for T-cell allorecognition is discussed.
