INDUCTION, ESTABLISHMENT INVITRO, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNCTIONAL, ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC, CARRIER-PRIMED MURINE T-CELL LYMPHOMAS

T [thymus-derived] cells were isolated from spleens of C57BL/Ka/Thy 1.1/Lb mice immunized with 2,4-dinitrophenylated keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH). The mice were infected in vitro with radiation leukemia virus and injected intrathymically into congenic C57BL/Ka (Thy 1.2) recipients. Within 3-4 mo., 7 thymic lymphomas developed, 5 of which were of donor type. The donor lymphomas were explanted and permanent cell lines were established in vitro. These lymphoma cells were capable of providing antigen-specific carrier (KLH)-primed help to DNP-primed B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocytes in secondary antibody production to DNP-KLH. They also enhanced the secondary antibody response of whole primed spleen cell populations to DNP-KLH. The availability of these immortal clonable populations of immunofunctional neoplastic T lymphocytes should facilitate biological and biochemical investigations of lymphocyte interactions during synthesis of antibody to thymus-dependent antigens.