title: Immunoglobulin production of human lymphocytes stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I and pokeweed mitogen: differential effects of recombinant interleukin-2.
abstract: The number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) upon stimulation with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) in recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2)-supplemented cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and co-cultures of B and T cells was studied. It has been shown that the addition of rIL-2 to culture can enhance or depress the number of ISC depending on the polyclonal B-cell activator used for culture stimulation. The SAC-induced response was enhanced in the presence of rIL-2, while the number of ISC in PWM-stimulated cultures was depressed. Moreover, in cultures stimulated simultaneously by both activators, the suppressive effect of rIL-2 prevailed, indicating that the reported direct effect of the lymphokine on SAC-activated B cells cannot overcome the suppressive activity of PWM-induced suppressor T cells. rIL-2 could not activate suppressor T cells in the absence of PWM, and has no effect on the number of helper or suppressor cells in the culture.
mesh_terms: D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens