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American Society of Hematology, Blood, 16(113), p. 3838-3844, 2009

DOI: 10.1182/blood-2008-09-178475

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T-cell responses associated with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: isolation of HPA-1a-specific, HLA-DRB3*0101-restricted CD4+ T cells

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Abstract T-cell responses have been implicated in the development of HPA-1a–induced neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). However, HPA-1a–specific T cells have neither been isolated nor characterized. Here, we aimed to determine whether HPA-1a–specific T cells could be isolated from HPA-1a–immunized women. In the present study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from an HPA-1a–alloimmunized woman were cultured for weeks in the presence of HPA-1a peptide, labeled with CFSE, and assayed for antigen-specific proliferation. Individual proliferating cells were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and expanded in culture. Antigen specificity and HLA restriction were determined by cytokine secretion (enzyme-linked immunospot [ELISPOT]) and proliferation assays. Several CD3+CD4+ T-cell clones were isolated that proliferated and secreted cytokines in response to HPA-1a peptide. Two of these clones have been established in long-term culture in our laboratory. Both of these recognize synthetic as well as naturally processed HPA-1a antigen, and the recognition is restricted by the MHC molecule HLA-DRB3*0101 that is strongly associated with NAIT. These HPA-1a–specific T-cell clones represent unambiguous evidence for the association of T-cell responses with NAIT, and they will serve as unique tools to elucidate the cellular immune response that may result in NAIT.