A subset of human cells isolated and characterized by monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies were induced against leukemic T cells from a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia exhibiting natural killer (NK) activity. Two antibodies, termed T811 and M522, reacted by indirect immunofluorescence with distinct sub-populations of normal human mononuclear blood cells. The antibody T811 defines a surface antigen which is restricted to a subset of the T cell lineage. The antigen recognized by the second antibody, M522, is expressed on monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes and, in addition, on 9-17% of nonadherent peripheral blood leukocytes (NAL). It is shown that the total NK activity of NAL is confined to the subset of cells expressing the M522-defined antigen. Moreover, the portion of NK cytotoxicity associated with T lymphocytes is mediated by a subpopulation which is characterized by the simultaneous expression of the T811- and the M522-defined antigens. This population comprises about 4% of NAL and could be isolated to a purity of greater than 85%.