Three cell subsets are required for the transfer of delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction by antigen-specific T cell lines.

Antigen (trinitrochlorobenzene)-specific T cell lines were obtained by repeated stimulation of lymph node cells from immune mice with antigen in vitro. These T cell lines, consisting of more than 90% CD4+ Vbeta8.2+ and 6 to 9% gammadelta+ T lymphocytes, transfer contact sensitivity (CS) locally when injected at the same site as the challenge antigen, but fail to mediate a systemic passive transfer when injected i.v. Injection of T cell lines together with spleen cells from mice immunized 1 day beforehand (1-day cells) allowed a successful, specific systemic transfer of CS. Phenotypic analysis showed that the 1-day immune cell was alphabeta+, gammadelta-, sIg-, CD3+, CD4-, CD8-, CD5+, B220 (…