Variation in mitogen-induced ovine lymphocyte blastogenesis: adherent cells or 2-mercaptoethanol restore randomly depressed responses.
Peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) isolated 23 times over a 6-week period from four normal sheep showed considerable variation in serially tested responses to predetermined optimal concentrations of concanavalin A (Con A), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Con A responses, in particular, varied widely and were often randomly depressed (21 of 91 times compared to 15 of 91 times for PHA or PWM). The addition of as few as 1% adherent cells (AC) to depressed cultures fully restored the PBL proliferative response to normal levels. Addition of greater numbers of AC (5 or 10%) had little further enhancing effect on depressed cultures. The addition of 1, 5, or 10% AC to cultures that were responding at normal levels increased responses only slightly. Autologous or allogeneic AC were equally effective. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) to depressed cultures only partially restored the blastogenic response to Con A and had little effect on normal cultures.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013997:Time Factors
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D008623:Mercaptoethanol