title: Functional effects of epidermal cell culture supernatants (ECCS) on human B-cell activation.
abstract: Epidermal cells (EC) were cultured without stimulation and the effect of these EC culture supernatants (ECCS) on human in vitro B-cell response was determined. Supernatants obtained between Days 5 and 7 were able to replace monocytes in the antibody response to the particulate antigen trinitrophenyl-polyacrylamide (TNP-PAA). These results were obtained when highly monocyte-depleted cultures (less than 0.5% peroxidase-positive cells) were used and were reproduced with supernatants from several different EC cultures. ECCS could not substitute for T cells in the T-dependent response to TNP-PAA. They contained an interleukin 1 (IL-1) activity but no interleukin 2 or B-cell growth factor (BCGF) activities. We tested the effect of ECCS on the proliferative response of highly monocyte-depleted B cells cultured at low cell density costimulated with anti-u antibody and BCGF. ECCS had no BCGF-like activity of its own but did potentiate the effect of BCGF. Thus EC cultures produce IL-1-like factor(s) which act directly on the early stages of B-cell activation.
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines; D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D015847:Interleukin-4