Evolutionary conservation of surface molecules that distinguish T lymphocyte helper/inducer and cytotoxic/suppressor subpopulations in mouse and man

Abstract

We describe the biochemical properties and cell surface distributions of three human T cell antigens (Leu-1, Leu-2a, and Leu-2b) which we postulate to be the homologues of the Lyt-1, Lyt-2, and Lyt-3 antigens that distinguish functional T cell subsets in the mouse. Leu-l, like Lyt-1, is on all thymocytes and peripheral T cells and is present in greater amounts on the helper/inducer subset than on the cytotoxic/suppressor subset. Both antigens increase in parallel fashion during T cell maturation in the thymus and each antigen is carried on a single 67,000-molecular weight (relative) (M(r)) polypeptide chain. Surprisingly, Leu-1 and Lyt-1 each are also expressed in readily detectable amounts on some B celI Ieukemias but not detectably so on normal B cells.