title: Activation of human B lymphocytes induced by Robinia pseudoacacia lectin in the presence of T cells.
abstract: Robinia pseudoacacia seed lectin is a potent human lymphocyte activator which is capable of activating pure T cells but not pure B lymphocytes. However, when B and T cells were cultured together, the thymidine incorporation was found to be higher than that expected from B- or T-cell cultures alone. Killing of T cells by anti-human-T-lymphocyte antigen (HTLA) serum and complement at the time of thymidine incorporation was found to be unable to suppress completely the thymidine uptake whereas treatment by anti-human-B-lymphocyte and monocyte antigen (HBLMA) serum reduced the response to some extent. Moreover, stimulated lymphoblasts were shown to bear B-cell markers (surface Ig and complement receptors) in about the same proportion as B lymphocytes present in the cultures. These results show that B cells proliferate in the presence of T cells and Robinia lectin. Finally, activation of B cells by Robinia lectin in the presence of T cells led to their maturation to plasma cells in the same way as PWM.
mesh_terms: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D037102:Lectins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D013936:Thymidine