Human peripheral gamma delta T cells recognize hsp60 molecules on Daudi Burkitt’s lymphoma cells

Studies with the use of polyclonal rabbit antiserum reactive with 60-kDa heat shock proteins (hsp60) suggested that hsp60-related molecules could be found on the surface of Daudi cells and were involved in their recognition by certain human gamma delta T cells. The present study confirms this finding by using a mAb specifically recognizing hsp60. This mAb can block outgrowth of human gamma delta T cells in response to stimulation with Daudi and in response to an extract of the mycobacteria H37Ra. This anti-hsp60 mAb stains the surface of Daudi cells, but does not stain either Raji or EBV-transformed B cells, cells which do not stimulate gamma delta T cell outgrowth. Anti-hsp60 mAb could immunoprecipitate a 60-kDa molecule from the H37Ra extract but was unable to precipitate this 60-kDa molecule if the mAb was first absorbed on Daudi cells. This mAb also precipitated a 60-kDa molecule from the surface of Daudi cells which shows an electrophoretic mobility pattern consistent with hsp60. These experiments demonstrate that human gamma delta T cells recognize hsp60-related epitopes on the surface of Daudi cells and within mycobacterial extracts.