INHIBITION OF HUMAN LYMPHOCYTE MITOGEN AND ANTIGEN RESPONSE BY A 15,000-DALTON PROTEIN FROM FELINE LEUKEMIA-VIRUS

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (2) , 443-447
Abstract
Peripheral blood lymphocyte response of normal human subjects to mitogens and antigens was suppressed by a 15,000-dalton protein (p15) from a C-type feline leukemia virus. Four of 6 subjects were suppressed 70-96% when responding to concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin in the presence of 5.0 .mu.g of p15. The three subjects who responded to streptokinase-streptodornase and Candida were suppressed 68-91% when cultured with 5.0 .mu.g of p15. The subviral protein did not appear to be cytotoxic at doses reported. Lymphocyte membrane studies with fluorescein isothiocyanate-concanavalin A revealed a reduction in concanavalin A-induced cap formation of 51-91% in the presence of the same dose of p15. In vitro immunological dysfunction in human lymphocytes can be induced by a C-type virion protein.