The simultaneous antagonistic effects of a T cell hybridoma product on the growth and the maturation of activated lymphocytes.
Lymphocyte maturation and growth are two antagonistic events; therefore, successful antibody synthesis accompanied by clonal expansion, as seen in most humoral immune responses, must be the result of a delicate quantitative balance between maturation and growth factors. On the basis of this hypothesis, it should be feasible to search for a T cell product that alters this equilibrium and favors either B cell growth or maturation. In an attempt to isolate T cell hybridomas producing these activities, we fused BW5147 thymoma cells with Con A-activated spleen cells. One of the hybridomas obtained constitutively produces a product (or products) that selectively inhibits mitogen-induced replication but not maturation of normal but not transformed B lymphocytes. More importantly, the same product(s) supports Ig synthesis but not growth of LPS blasts, which suggests that we are dealing with a B cell maturation factor. The effect of this supernatant can be completely abrogated by the B cell mitogen DxS. In addition, the proliferative response of B cells to this ligand is unaffected by the hybridoma product. The implications of our results for understanding the mechanism of B cell triggering are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007700:Kinetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D003911:Dextrans; D006133:Growth Substances; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016264:Dextran Sulfate