HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTE BLASTOGENESIS INDUCED BY LIVING AND DEAD HISTOPLASMA-CAPSULATUM YEASTS AND SOLUBLE YEAST AUTOLYSATE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (2) , 85-95
Abstract
Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with either replicating yeast phase H. capsulatum, intact dead yeasts or soluble yeast phase autolysate antigen for induction of lymphocyte blastogenesis. H. capsulatum replicated to the same extent in cultures of lymphocytes from histoplasmin skin test-positive and negative cell donors, but stimulated far greater blastogenesis in the former. Dead H. capsulatum yeasts, which were more easily quantified, caused nearly as much specific blastogenesis as live yeasts. Blastogenesis was induced by as few as 1 dead yeast/10,000 lymphocytes, indicating the antigenic potency of Histoplasma yeasts. Specific blastogenesis was also caused by soluble yeast autolysate. Thus, replicating H. capsulatum yeasts, dead yeasts and autolytically released soluble yeast phase antigen each stimulated specific blastogenesis of lymphocytes from persons sensitized to H. capsulatum in vivo.