Preferential elimination of NK and CTL functions by anti-D44 monoclonal antibody.

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with T cells at various stages of maturation were used in negative selection experiments to study their effects on NK function in the presence of complement. Anti-D47 and anti-A50, respectively, directed against corticothymocytes and mature peripheral E+ cells were without effect. Anti-D66 reactive with an epitope of the T cell E receptor inhibited up to 60% of NK activity. Anti-D44, which primarily recognizes corticothymocytes and 60 to 80% of the E(+)-PBL was found to abrogate NK activity together with alloreactive CTL reactivity but to leave intact most of the MLR and PHA proliferative responses. Therefore D44 appears as a discrete antigen allowing preferential elimination of NK cells and CTL from PBL.