title: Induction and separation of mouse helper T cells by lectins.
abstract: The capability of Lens culinaris agglutinin (LcA) to induce selectively the helper T cell activity affecting primary antibody response was demonstrated. In the presence of mouse spleen cells, activated with LcA at a concentration of 12 . 5 microgram/ml, optimal augmentation of the humoral immune response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was observed. It was also demonstrated that Limulus polyphemus agglutinin (LPA), which was shown to possess carbohydrate-binding specificity directed to sialic acid residues, preferentially agglutinated helper T cells. Conversely, peanut agglutinin (PNA), which binds preferentially to the sugar sequence beta-D-Gal-(1 leads to 3)-D-GalNAc, did not agglutinate the helper cells. Furthermore, the stimulatory effect of LPA-agglutinated cells on the antibody response was abolished by treatment of the cells with anti-Thy-1 . 2 and complement. These results suggested that the helper cells induced by LcA were T cells and that they have abundant sialic acid residues exposed on the cell surface.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins