Anti-IgM-Ficoll conjugates activate B cells from CBA but not CBA/N mice.
We have compared the stimulating effects of an anti-IgM-Ficoll conjugate on B cells from the two mouse strains CBA and CBA/N. CBA/N mice have a recessive defect on their X chromosome which make them unable to respond to T1-2 antigens and B cells from these mice are supposed to be in an immature state. We found that the anti-IgM-Ficoll conjugate stimulated B cells of the CBA strain to proliferate even without the addition of interleukins, but was not able to stimulate B cells from the CBA/N strain. To rule out that the unresponsiveness of CBA/N mice to anti-IgM-Ficoll was due to the immaturity of their B cells, we cultured B cells from both strains in the presence of an anti-IgM-Sepharose conjugate. This conjugate stimulated B cells from both mouse strains to proliferate in the presence of IL-4. These results agree with the hypothesis that the T1-2 antigen Ficoll is able to deliver activating signals to B cells and therefore cannot be considered as an inert carrier.
Sverremark
E
E
Department of Immunology, Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Fernandez
C
C
Möller
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005362:Ficoll / Q000494:pharmacology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology; D012685:Sepharose / Q000494:pharmacology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D007378:Interleukins; C044203:anti-IgM; D005362:Ficoll; D012685:Sepharose