Characterization of NKT-cell hybridomas expressing invariant T-cell antigen receptors.

Two natural killer T (NKT)-cell hybridomas were established by fusing sorted NKT cells with BW1100 thymoma cells. The first hybridoma line, 1B6, was CD4(+)8(-), whereas the second one, 2E10, was CD4(low)8(-). Initial characterizations revealed that both cell lines expressed an invariant T cell antigen receptor, which could be readily detected with alpha-galactosylceramide-loaded CD1d : Ig fusion protein (alpha-GalCer/CD1d).