Augmented antigen presentation by mouse Ia + T clone cells BK-BI-2.6.O4.1 mediated by transferrin receptors.

The murine T clone cells BK-BI-2.6.O4.1 (BI/O4.1) synthesize and express MHC class II molecules constitutively. BI/O4.1 cells are able to present various protein antigens to antigen-specific CD4 + T cells. However, a 10-fold higher concentration of antigen is needed to activate specific T cells to lymphokine secretion by BI/O4.1 cells in comparison with spleen cells or with the more homogeneous population of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMph). The authors tested whether the reduced antigen presentation potential of BI/O4.1 cells was augmented by transferrin-mediated uptake of the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) coupled to human ferric transferrin. It was shown that 240-fold less OVA was …