STUDY OF HUMAN T AND B LYMPHOCYTES WITH HETEROLOGOUS ANTISERA .1. PREPARATION, SPECIFICITY AND PROPERTIES OF ANTISERA

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (5) , 749-758
Abstract
Heterologous antisera were raised in the horse and the rabbit against human lymphocytes. Appropriate absorptions on B [bone marrow-derived] or T [thymus-derived] cells were performed to make antisera specific for human T (anti-HTLA) or B (serum 789) lymphocytes, respectively. Serum 789 reacted with circulating monocytes. The percentages of T and B cells detected by anti-HTLA and 789 sera in the different lymphoid organs averaged, respectively: 78.7% and 14.7% in peripheral blood, 91.4% and 4.0% in thymus, 73.0% and 14.5% in lymph nodes, 53.6% and 30.0% in spleen, 47.1% and 47.6% in tonsils, and 17.5% and 13.5% in bone marrow. Anti-HTLA serum appeared to suppress E [sheep erythrocyte]-rosette formation, but did not affect binding of C3[the 3rd complement component]-coated erythrocytes. Serum 789 did not prevent E-rosette formation and reduced the number of EAC [E, antibody, complement] rosettes by 50%. Anti-HTLA serum was able to completely suppress the proliferative response of lymphocytes to PHA [phytohemagglutinin], Con A [concanavalin A], anti-lymphocyte serum and PWM [pokeweed mitogen] in the presence of C; it was highly mitogenic by itself. Serum 789 decreased the proliferative response to phytomitogens in about the proportion of cells killed by the antiserum. These results indicate that the presence of T cells is necessary for the mitogen-induced proliferation to occur, and that B lymphocytes are induced to proliferate in the presence of T cells and phytomitogens. Anti-HTLA serum did not inhibit K[antibody-dependent killer]-cell activity of lymphocytes. These antisera appear to be useful tools for the study of the role of human B and T lymphocytes involved in in vitro immune reactions.