Molecular associations of IA antigens after T-B cell interactions. I. Identification of new molecular associations.

In this report we report the identification of novel molecular associations involving the MHC class II (Ia) Ag expressed on the surface of Ag-presenting B lymphocytes. Biosynthetically radiolabeled murine B cells were incubated for 2 h in the presence or absence of T lymphocytes before treatment with the cleavable cross-linking reagent dimethyl-3,3'-dithiobispropionimidate. Anti-Ia immunoprecipitates of solubilized cell extracts revealed novel cross-linked products of Mr 90,000 to 95,000 which, upon cleavage of the cross-linker, could in part be resolved into native Ia and other structures of approximately Mr 67,000. The detection of the cross-linked products was significantly enhanced in B cells that had been co-cultured with T lymphocytes, but not with other cell types, and co-culture with various monoclonal T cell lines resulted in different levels of enhancement. Detection of the 90- to 95-kDa cross-linked products appeared to be independent of the foreign Ag for which the T cells were specific and could be enhanced when either cell type was replaced by a plasma membrane fraction, indicating that it resulted from direct cell-cell contact. These results suggest that some proportion of the Ia glycoproteins expressed on the surface of B cells become associated with other structures of Mr 67,000 upon Ag-non-specific interactions between T and B lymphocytes.