Identification and characterization of a B cell growth inhibitory factor (BIF) on BCGF-dependent B cell proliferation

The culture supernatants of Con A-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) contained at least two regulatory factors upon B cell proliferation. One was B cell growth factor (BCGF), which activated antigen-stimulated B cells to proliferation and clonal expansion, and the other was its inhibitory factor, arbitrarily named B cell growth inhibitory factor (BIF). This BIF inhibited the effect of BCGF on anti-mu-stimulated B cells or the monoclonal mature B cell line (CLL-T.H.) obtained from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of B cell-type chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, which were activated only with BCGF and without adding other proliferating stimuli (e.g., anti-mu). BIF activity was detected in the 24 hr culture supernatants of Con A-activated human PBM in FCS containing medium and also in serum-free RPMI 1640 medium. This substance with BIF activity could not be derived from FCS. Con A-induced BIF (m.w. of 80,000 and an isoelectric point of pH 5.4) was analyzed by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and chromatofocusing. BIF was stable at pH 2.0 and at 56 degrees C for 30 min. Partially purified BIF had no effect on cell viability and almost no interferon activity (less than 1 IU/ml). BIF with high titer had a slight but significant inhibition on TCGF-dependent T cell growth and on PHA or Con A responses, but the extent of these inhibitions was far less than that of BCGF-dependent B cell growth. Absorption of BIF with Con A blasts made its inhibition on T cell growth even less. On the other hand, BIF activity could not be absorbed with Con A blasts but was almost absorbed with large numbers of CLL-T.H. cells. BIF had almost no inhibitory effect on the proliferation of a mouse fibroblast cell line (NIH 3T3), a mouse myeloma cell line (NS-1), human lymphoid cell lines (MOLT-4, HSB-2, and Daudi), or a human myeloid cell line (K-562). BIF-producing cells were estimated to be T cells and were identified as T8+ T cells. On the other hand, Con A-induced BCGF was demonstrated to be produced predominantly by T4+ T cells. These results show that human B cell proliferation is regulated by interaction between T4+ and T8+ cells via soluble factors, namely BCGF and BIF, respectively.     

Activity of a partially purified human BCGF on murine assays for B-cell stimulatory factors. I. BCGF II-like activity of human BCGF

To further characterize a human B-cell growth factor (BCGF) produced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) P-stimulated peripheral blood T cells, a partially purified preparation of this material was tested in a number of murine assays for B-cell stimulatory factors (BSF). Human BCGF lacked murine BSF-1 activity as assessed via the induction of polyclonal proliferation of anti-IgM-stimulated murine B cells; however, this material consistently augmented the proliferative response of murine B cells to anti-IgM and a saturating dose of murine BSF-1. Human BCGF also induced proliferation in unstimulated murine B cells, and augmented the proliferative response of dextran sulfate activated murine B cells. Human BCGF is therefore capable of causing proliferation of unstimulated and activated murine B cells, and by these criteria closely resembles murine BCGF II. In contrast to murine BCGF II, however, human BCGF failed to stimulate proliferation or immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion by murine BCL1 B lymphoma cells. A murine analog of this human BCGF showing the same pattern of biological responses was found in concanavalin A-stimulated supernatants of the murine MB2.1 T-cell line and D9-Cl T-cell hybridoma. The active component of the human BCGF preparation was not due to contaminating PHA, interleukin 1, interleukin 2; interferon-gamma, or endotoxin. Comparison between the above human BCGF and a commonly used source of murine BCGF II, i.e., supernatant from antigen-stimulated D10.G4.1 T cells, provided information suggestive of BCGF II heterogeneity. Both human BCGF and D10.G4.1 supernatant caused proliferation of unstimulated and dextran sulfate-stimulated murine B cells; however, only the human BCGF preparation augmented the proliferative response of murine B cells to anti-IgM and a saturating dose of murine BSF-1, and only the D10.G4.1 supernatant stimulated BCL1 cell proliferation and immunoglobulin secretion. The data therefore indicate that the different assays for BCGF II used in this study respond to different factors, and suggest the existence of two BCGF II-like activities.     

Development and characterization of a human B cell line that responds to B cell growth factor but not interleukin 2

The human lymphoblastoid cell line we present here proliferated in response to a 14,000 m.w. B cell growth factor (BCGF), and not to interleukin 2 (IL 2). This cell line, designated B-A3, was established by Epstein Barr virus (EBV) transformation of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC)-activated spleen B cells, and has been maintained in RPMI 1640 medium complemented with 15% fetal calf serum (FCS) without the addition of other exogenous growth factors. A proliferative response, as measured by [3H]thymidine uptake of B-A3 cells was significantly induced by either commercial IL 2-free human BCGF preparations, or phytohemagglutinin-stimulated mixed lymphocyte culture supernatant at all FCS concentrations used in the assay. The most marked proliferation due to BCGF, however, was observed in the absence of FCS. This BCGF-induced proliferation was not influenced by IL 2 or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), because both recombinant IL 2 and IFN-gamma failed to induce proliferation. The response of B-A3 cells to a specific BCGF was additionally indicated by the responsiveness of this cell line to BCGF purified by a series of chromatographic steps. The BCGF to which B-A3 cells responded had a m.w. of 14,000 and was similar to low m.w. BCGF reported from other laboratories. Surface characterization of B-A3 cells, analyzed by flow cytometry with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, demonstrated that the majority of B-A3 cells were stained positively with Leu-12, HLA-DR, and surface IgG markers, whereas staining with surface IgM, IgD markers, pan T cell markers (Leu-4 and Leu-9), and IL 2 receptor (Tac) were consistently negative. Taken together, the human lymphoblastoid cell line we present here responded specifically to a low m.w. BCGF. This cell line may be of value in the purification of BCGF to homogeneity, in studies of the interactions of BCGF with human B cells, and in the identification of the BCGF receptor.     

cAMP is an essential signal in the induction of antibody production by B cells but inhibits helper function of T cells

Dibutyryl cAMP and IL 1 were found to stimulate antigen-specific and polyclonal antibody production when added together to cultures of highly purified B cells. We propose that IL 1 and an elevation in cytoplasmic cAMP represent minimal signal requirements for B cell activation. In contrast to its effect on B cells, dibutyryl cAMP inhibited helper T cell activity. Cyclic AMP suppressed the production of IL 2 and T cell replacing factor (TRF) by T cells and thus abrogated the ability of helper T cells to enhance SRBC-specific antibody production by B cells. Cyclic AMP did not inhibit the generation by T cells of B cell growth factor (BCGF). BCGF, not normally detected in Con A supernatant, was found in the culture supernatant of spleen cells that were stimulated with Con A in the presence of cAMP. Our findings indicate that cAMP blocks the production of an inhibitor of BCGF activity. cAMP had no effect on the production by macrophages of IL 1.     

T cell-derived B cell growth factor(s) can induce stimulation of both resting and activated B cells

The effects of a preparation containing partially purified, EL4-derived B cell growth factor(s) (BCGF) on B cell growth and proliferation have been examined by using B lymphocyte subpopulations separated on the basis of size. BCGF was found to maintain and enhance proliferation of a significant proportion of large activated B cells. In contrast, small resting B cells required the presence of BCGF and a second stimulus such as anti-IgM antibody (anti-mu) to be induced to proliferate. This disparity was not due to a lack of an effect of BCGF on small resting B cells. A factor contained within the partially purified EL4 supernatant produced time-dependent increases in cell size and RNA content in all subpopulations. These effects were independent of possible effects due to contaminating lymphokines such as interleukin 2 (IL 2), concanavalin A (Con A), and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Nonmitogenic doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) failed to show similar effects. Our data suggest that B cells at all levels of in vivo activation are responsive to stimulation by a growth factor present in EL4 supernatant, as manifested by cell growth and RNA synthesis. This activity has not previously been described for BCGF preparations. However, because the partially purified, EL4-derived supernatant used as BCGF in these studies has not been purified to homogeneity, we cannot conclude whether the factors that induce resting B cells to increase in size are the same as the growth factors that synergize with anti-mu to induce B cell proliferation or that maintain the proliferation of activated B cells.     

Dendritic cell activating factor produced by mouse macrophage hybridoma

A mouse macrophage (M phi) hybridoma which produces a soluble factor responsible for the cooperation between M phi and spleen dendritic cells (DC) was constructed. The antigen-presenting activity and the stimulator cell activity in the allogeneic or syngeneic mixed leukocyte reaction of DC were significantly augmented when DC were incubated with the culture supernatant of the hybridoma treated with various stimulants including latex beads. The monokine present in the culture supernatant of the hybridoma, called dendritic cell-activating factor (DCAF), augmented the production of lymphocyte-activating factor by DC while Ia expression of DCAF-treated DC was not altered. DCAF had no effect on the antigen-presenting activity of peritoneal resident M phi or B cell blasts while the antigen-presenting activity of spleen M phi was enhanced, but the degree of the enhancement was much less than that of spleen DC. DCAF was found to have the following properties: its pI value is between pH 4 and 5; it is stable at pH 2 to 10; and it loses its activity on incubation at 75 C for 30 min. When the culture supernatant of the hybridoma stimulated with latex beads was subjected to gel filtration, the DCAF activity was detected in the 20 Kd to 25 Kd, 30 Kd to 40 Kd, and 50 Kd to 60 Kd molecular weight regions. The 30 Kd to 40 Kd fraction, which is the major peak fraction, was further purified by ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel-filtration chromatography. When each fraction was subjected to SDS-PAGE, a 30 Kd band corresponding to the DCAF activity was observed and DCAF was purified to about 90% purity.     

Production of B cell growth factor by normal human B cells

Although it has been demonstrated that malignant human B cell lines are capable of producing B cell growth factor (BCGF), production of BCGF by normal B cells has not been shown. In this study, we demonstrate BCGF production by normal B cells, achieved by using human peripheral blood B cells prepared by a positive selection technique and stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) for 12 hr. SAC was removed from the supernatants by anti-SAC-coupled Sepharose. Supernatants absorbed with this antibody were functionally free of SAC, as demonstrated by their inability to activate resting B cells. B cells stimulated with SAC for 12 hr produced BCGF activity that was generally unmeasurable in supernatants by 36 hr. Characterization of BCGF produced by SAC-stimulated B cells revealed a m.w. of 32,000 by high-performance liquid chromatography sieving and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; this BCGF was found to have an isoelectric point of 6.7. Furthermore, this BCGF lacked interleukin 1, interleukin 2, interferon, and B cell differentiation factor activity. This observation that BCGF can be produced by normal human B cells is significant because it demonstrates for the first time that normal B cells have the ability to provide their own growth factors or the growth factors for other B cells.     

The effects of interleukin 1 on human B cell activation and proliferation

The precise role of B cell surface immunoglobulin (slg) in the activation of B cells is unclear at present. In particular, it is uncertain whether ligands interacting with the B cell slg suffice to induce proliferation, or simply induce a state of activation in which the B cell becomes responsive to growth factors made by accessory cells. We have examined the effects of two ligands, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC) and antihuman mu chain (anti-mu), which interact with B cell slg on highly purified human peripheral blood and tonsillar B cells cultured at low cell concentrations. The effects on B cell proliferation of these ligands alone or in combination with highly purified interleukin 1 (IL 1) or a supernatant of a human T-T hybridoma containing a B cell growth factor (BCGF) were studied. SAC with its high cell wall content of protein A triggered maximal B cell proliferation which was not increased further by IL 1 or BCGF. High concentrations of soluble F(ab')2 fragments of goat anti-mu chain also induced significant B cell proliferation. Lower concentrations of anti-mu resulted in little or no B cell proliferation but activated the B cell to a state of responsiveness to both IL 1 and BCGF. IL 1 by itself had no effect on the proliferation of unstimulated B cells or on the proliferation of in vivo-activated B cells which responded to BCGF in vitro, but demonstrated clear synergy with low concentrations of anti-mu antibody. BCGF alone augmented the proliferation of unstimulated B cells, presumably by acting on B cells which had undergone some degree of activation in vivo. In addition, it showed marked synergy with anti-mu antibody, which resulted in proliferation similar in magnitude to that induced by SAC. This synergy was far greater than that seen between anti-mu antibody and IL 1, and the resulting proliferative response was only slightly increased by the presence of IL 1. We conclude that the importance of accessory cell factors for the initial rounds of B cell proliferation depends on the strength of the initial slg-mediated activation signal. When this is strong, the response is maximal and independent of accessory cells or accessory cell factors. When it is suboptimal, a moderate synergy is seen with IL 1 and a dramatic synergy with BCGF.     

Glycosidase activities of the 293 and NS0 cell lines, and of an antibody-producing hybridoma cell line

We have previously demonstrated that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lysates harbor sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase, and fucosidase activities that can accumulate extracellularly in CHO cell culture, thereby potentially leading to extracellular modification of glycoprotein oligosaccharides. The sialidase activity in CHO cell lysates was surprisingly active and stable at pH 7.5, with a half-life of 57 h at 37 degrees C.We have extended this work to determine whether 293, NS0, or hybridoma cell lysates contain similar glycosidase activities. The pH-activity profiles of beta-galactosidase and beta-hexosaminidase in lysates of these three cell lines resemble the pH-activity profiles for these enzymes in CHO cell lysate, whereas the pH-activity profiles of sialidase and fucosidase appear to be cell-type dependent. Sialidase activities were relatively stable at pH 4.5 in 293, NS0, and hybridoma cell lysates. However, the activities in 293 and NS0 cell lysates were unstable at pH 7.5, with no activity remaining after a 2-h incubation at 37 degrees C. The sialidase activity in hybridoma cell lysate was moderately stable at pH 7.5 with 30% of the activity remaining after a 2-h incubation at 37 degrees C. We conclude that the sialidase activites from 293, NS0, and hybridoma cells have characteristics similar to the vast majority of reported mammalian sialidase activities, and that these activities are markedly differant from the CHO cell sialidase activity.Finally, sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase, and fucosidase activities were measured at pH 7 in cell-free bioreactor supernatants of the hybridoma cell line. As previously observed in CHO cell culture, all four glycosidase activities were present in the hybridoma supernatants. However, the sialidase activity in hybridoma supernatant was an order of magnitude lower than in CHO cell culture supernatant despite the fact that the hybridoma cell lysis rate was an order of magnitude higher. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Separable helper factors support B cell proliferation and maturation to Ig secretion

The 24-hr culture supernatant of Con A-activated spleen cells (SN) contains helper factors that enable maturation to high-rate polyclonal Ig secretion and enhance proliferation in cultures of mouse B cells activated with the F(ab')2 fragment of class-specific rabbit antimouse IgM antibody (anti-Ig). When interleukin 2 (IL 2), also called T cell growth factor, is removed from SN by absorption with an IL 2-dependent cell line at either 4 degrees C or 37 degrees C, all the helper activity for anti-Ig-activated B cells is also removed. Partial removal of IL 2 results in partial removal of helper activity for B cells. However, the IL 2-depleted SN appears to contain another helper factor, TRF, that enables anti-Ig-activated B cell cultures to mature to high-rate Ig secretion. This TRF activity is revealed by adding purified human IL 2 or an IL 2-containing supernatant of a cloned, lectin-activated T cell hybridoma line (FS6-14.13) to Il 2-depleted SN, which restores the polyclonal antibody response to anti-Ig. The hybridoma supernatant by itself supports proliferation of anti-Ig-activated B cell cultures, as measured by an increase in cell number, but not maturation to Ig secretion. This proliferative response is likewise IL 2 dependent, although purified IL 2 with anti-Ig is not sufficient. These experiments define separable combinations of factors acting on anti-Ig-activated B cell cultures, one of which (SN) results in both proliferation and maturation to high-rate Ig secretion, whereas the other (hybridoma supernatant) results in proliferation only. IL 2 appears to be an essential component of both combinations, although the target cell for IL 2 action in this system remains to be determined.     

Characterization of a T4+/Leu-8+ T cell clone that directly helps B cell Ig production by secreting B cell differentiation factor

A human T4+/Leu-8+ T cell clone (YA2) was established by phytohemagglutinin activation and interleukin 2 (IL 2) propagation. Functional characterization of this clone demonstrated that it provided potent help towards Ig production by pokeweed mitogen-stimulated B cells in the presence of small numbers of autologous T cells or by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC)-activated B cells in the presence of B cell growth factor (BCGF). YA2 provided no help to resting B cells and minimal help to either unactivated B cells cultured with BCGF or SAC-activated B cells. Supernatant generated from clone YA2 by IL 2 stimulation had significant B cell differentiation activity but no BCGF or IL 2 activity. Thus, YA2 is a T4+/Leu-8+ potent direct helper only to B cells that are activated and proliferating due to its selective secretion of a differentiation factor, and not an activation and growth factor. The availability of phenotypically defined cloned populations of T cells with restricted functional helper activity related to the secretion of selected B cell tropic factors should prove useful in the dissection of the role of individual T cell subsets in the regulation of the human B cell cycle.     

Noncytotoxic functions of natural killer (NK) cells: large granular lymphocytes (LGL) produce a B cell growth factor (BCGF)

Highly purified human large granular (LGL), depleted of any detectable contaminant T and B cells or monocytes, were found to be potent producers in vitro of a soluble B cell growth factor (BCGF) able to sustain proliferation of B cells activated by anti-mu. Activation by lectins (phytohemagglutinin, PHA, concanavalin A, Con A; and pokeweed mitogen, PWM) was required to induce the production of high levels of this BCGF from cultured LGL. Production of BCGF was also detected after the binding of LGL with natural killer (NK)-sensitive (K562) but not with NK-resistant (RL male 1) target cells. In contrast to T cells, LGL did not need the additional presence of accessory cells to reach optimal production of BCGF by 72 hr of culture. The subpopulation of LGL responsible for the production of BCGF had phenotypic characteristics associated with NK cells (3G8+, HNK1+/OKT11+, DR-, OKT3-, Leu-M1-), and separated cells with these markers exerted high levels of NK activity. Selective production of BCGF also was obtained from cytotoxic clones derived from LGL. A partial characterization of the LGL-derived BCGF was performed by gel filtration. BCGF activity was detected in fractions with estimated m.w. of 20,000 and 45,000. The LGL-derived BCGF activity was resistant to reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol and was stable at -20 degrees C for months. Conversely, heating (56 degrees C for 1 hr) or digestion with trypsin greatly reduced the LGL-derived BCGF activity. These findings strongly suggest that LGL including those with NK activity can play an important positive role in the early events of the B cell-mediated immune response.     

Human macrophage-activating factors for cytotoxicity. I. Establishment of a human T-cell hybridoma that produces macrophage-activating factors for cytotoxicity

Human T cell hybridoma, H3-E9-6, that produces macrophage activating factors for cytotoxicity (MAF-C) was prepared by somatic fusion of phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes with emetine/actinomycin D-treated cloned human acute lymphocytic leukemia cells (CEM 11). The activities of the following were assayed: (1) macrophage-activating factor for cytotoxicity of monocytes (MAF-C 1 day), (2) macrophage-activating factor for cytotoxicity of monocyte-derived macrophages (MAF-C 6 day), (3) macrophage-activating factor for cytotoxicity of murine macrophages (MAF-Cm), (4) macrophage-activating factor for glucose consumption (MAF-G), (5) macrophage-activating factor for O2- formation (MAF-O). The culture supernatant of H3-E9-6 showed MAF-C 1 day-MAF-C 6 day, MAF-Cm, and MAF-G activities. The MAF-Cm activity was considerably enhanced by the addition of murine recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma). The MAF-C 1 day activity in the H3-E9-6 sup was not decreased by heat treatment (56 C, 30 min), by pH 2 treatment or by the addition of monoclonal anti-human IFN-gamma antibody or polymyxin B. These data suggest that MAF-C in H3-E9-6 sup is distinct from human IFN-gamma or lipopolysaccharide (LPS).     

Suppressor factor secreted by T hybridoma established from peripheral blood lymphocytes of a bone marrow transplantation patient. I. Establishment of human T-cell hybridoma and partial characterization of suppressor factor

A stable human T-cell hybridoma was established by cell fusion between activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes from an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation patient and the JD1-17 cell line, a subclone of the human T leukemia Jurkat cell line. This hybrid clone 1-8, which bore the surface phenotype of suppressor cells (CD8+HNK1+), spontaneously secreted a factor which, at high dilutions, suppressed the responses of T and B cells induced by mitogens and alloantigens. This suppressor factor was found to be heat-resistant (56 degrees C, 30 min), stable at alkaline but not acid pH, unaffected by 2-mercaptoethanol, and sensitive to trypsin. Preparative isoelectric focusing revealed an isoelectric point of 5.35. The suppressor activity was selectively absorbed by blast T cells. By gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200 and HPLC, the suppressor activity was found in two peaks corresponding to 40-45 kDa (monomer) and 90-95 kDa (dimer).     

Structural and functional characterization of IL 2 receptors on activated human B cells

After activation, B cells express the IL 2 receptor as determined by their reactivity with monoclonal anti-IL 2 receptor antibodies. In this report we show that anti-IL 2 receptor antibodies precipitated comparable 60,000 to 65,000 dalton proteins from highly purified B and T cells. Limited peptide mapping suggested that the receptors on B and T cells were identical. Moreover, activated B cells could be induced to proliferate by IL 2, but not to secrete Ig. Anti-IL 2R antibody blocked the effect of IL 2 but not the proliferative response induced by B cell growth factor (BCGF), suggesting independent growth factor receptors. Investigation of the kinetics of the B cell response to growth factor indicated that BCGF acts within 24 hr, whereas IL 2 was virtually devoid of activity for 48 hr. Nevertheless, after 72 to 96 hr, the effect of IL 2 was equal to or greater than that obtained with BCGF. These studies suggest that the initial stages of B cell proliferation involves a sequential interaction of BCGF and IL 2 with their respective receptors.     

Biological expressions of lymphocyte activation. V. Characterization of a soluble immune response suppressor (SIRS) produced by concanavalin A-activated spleen cells.

Supernatant fluids from murine spleen cell cultures incubated with concanavalin A for 48 hr contain a factor(s), soluble immune response suppressor (SIRS), which suppresses plaque-forming cell responses to sheep erythrocytes by murine spleen cells in vitro. In the present studies, some of the biochemical and biophysical properties of SIRS were investigated. SIRS was non-dialysable; the suppressive activity was stable at 56 degrees C for 30 min, but was destroyed by treatment at 70 degrees C for 30 min, 80 degrees C for 10 min, or at pH 2. The suppressive activity was not absorbed by the stimulating antigen, SRBC, or antisera against murine IgG or mu-chain, suggesting that SIRS does not contain immunoglobulin determinants. Murine spleen and thymus, but not kidney cells, however, absorbed SIRS activity. Enzyme treatments revealed that SIRS was resistant to DNase and RNase, but was destroyed by trypsin and chymotrypsin. In gel filtration with Sephadex G-100, SIRS activity eluted in the fraction corresponding to m.w. in the range between 48,000 and 67,000. With polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, SIRS activity migrated in the region cathodal to albumin. Isopycnic centrifugation in a cesium chloride gradient suggested that SIRS is a glycoprotein. These supernatant fluids with SIRS activity were also found to contain macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). In the experiments using gel filtration, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and isopycnic centrifugation to fractionate supernatant fluids, SIRS and MIF activity were found in the same fractions, and to date we have been unable to dissociate definitively SIRS activity from MIF activity.     

Production of B cell growth factor by a Leu-7+, OKM1+ non-T cell with the features of large granular lymphocytes (LGL)

The present study reports the characterization of a non-T cell from human peripheral blood which is capable of releasing BCGF. This BCGF-producing non-T cell had a T3-, T8-, Leu-7+, OKM1+, HLA-DR-, Leu-11- surface phenotype and was likely to belong to the so-called large granular lymphocyte (LGL) subset because: after fractionation of non-T cells according to the expression of Leu-7 or HLA-DR markers, it was found in the Leu-7+, HLA-DR- fractions that were particularly enriched in LGL; it co-purified with LGL on Percoll density gradients; and it expressed Leu-7 and OKM1 markers that are shared by a large fraction of LGL. Although co-purified with cells with potent NK capacities, the BCGF-producing cell was not cytotoxic, because treatment of Leu-7+ cells with Leu-11 monoclonal antibody and complement abolished the NK activity but left the BCGF activity unaltered. The factor released by this LGL subset was not IL 1 or IL 2 mistakenly interpreted as BCGF, because: a) cell supernatants particularly rich in BCGF activity contained very little or no IL 1 or IL 2; b) BCGF-induced B cell proliferation was not inhibitable by anti-Tac antibodies (this in spite of the expression of IL 2 receptor by a proportion of activated B cells); and c) BCGF activity was absorbed by B but not T blasts.     

A role for Lyb-2 in B cell activation mediated by a B cell stimulatory factor

The Lyb-2 system of the mouse is involved in regulation of a proliferative step in the differentiation of B cells responding to T-dependent antigen. The present study concerns the role of Lyb-2 in an early phase of B cell activation with respect to B cell receptor functions for activation factors. It is shown that interaction of monoclonal anti (alpha)-Lyb-2 antibody with Lyb-2 on the B cell surface induces B cell proliferation by synergistic action with B cell growth factor II-containing factor or interleukin 1. In contrast, alpha-Lyb-2 antibody could not synergize with the Con A-induced culture supernatant of T cell hybridoma FS6-14.13 (FS6) containing B cell stimulatory factor-1 (BSF-1; formerly called BCGF I), and the effect of combining the two was only additive on B cell proliferation. Absorption studies showed that BSF-1 in FS6 could be absorbed by unstimulated B cells, about 95% of which were at Go phase of the cell cycle, but not by thymocytes, and more importantly that alpha-Lyb-2 antibody blocked the absorption in an Lyb-2-specific manner, possibly by competing with BSF-1. It is thus likely that alpha-Lyb-2 antibody may interact with a BSF-1 receptor on B cells or a molecule closely associated with it. Interestingly, alpha-Lyb-2 antibody mimicked the action of BSF-1 in a costimulator assay with affinity-purified goat alpha-mouse IgM antibody, but could not replace all the activities ascribed to BSF-1. Possible mechanisms involved are discussed.     

The direct effects of interleukin 1, interleukin 2, interferon-alpha, interferon-gamma, B-cell growth factor, and a B-cell differentiation factor on resting and activated human B cells

A wide variety of cytokines have been demonstrated to affect B-cell function. However, it is unclear which of these mediators actually exert direct effects on the B cells themselves. In the present study, the direct role of interleukin (IL) 1, IL-2, Interferon-gamma, or Interferon-alpha in human B-cell activation, proliferation, or differentiation was examined and compared with the effects of a B-cell growth factor (BCGF) or a B-cell differentiation factor (BCDF). Highly purified human B lymphocytes were separated according to size into two nonoverlapping populations. The fraction of small B cells was incubated with IL-1, IL-2, Interferon-gamma, Interferon-alpha, BCGF, or BCDF, and cell size changes, RNA synthesis, DNA synthesis, or supernatant immunoglobulin (Ig) production were measured. Neither IL-1, IL-2, Interferon-alpha, Interferon-gamma, nor the BCGF induced substantial cell size changes, RNA synthesis, DNA synthesis, or Ig production by the small fraction of B lymphocytes; however, the BCDF could directly activate a proportion of resting B lymphocytes to secrete Ig. The fraction of large B cells was also incubated with these cytokines. While neither IL-1, Interferon-alpha, nor Interferon-gamma enhanced DNA synthesis or Ig production by the fraction of large B lymphocytes, DNA synthesis was augmented 23-fold by BCGF and IgG production was increased 7-fold by BCDF. Additionally, IL-2 slightly enhanced both proliferation and differentiation of large B cells but substantially less so than BCGF and BCDF; DNA synthesis was increased 4-fold, while Ig production in the presence of IL-2 was increased by approximately 50%. Thus, the most important lymphokines modulating the function of these two fractions of tonsillar lymphocytes were a BCGF and a BCDF.