Proliferation of murine thymic lymphocytes in vitro is mediated by the concanavalin A-induced release of a lymphokine (costimulator).

Mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocytes may in theory result directly from the interaction of mitogen with the cells, or indirectly as a result of the mitogen-stimulated release of lymphokines. In the case of murine thymic lymphocytes exposed to concanavalin A (Con A) in tissue culture, we have determined that mitogenesis depends upon a lymphokine. Interaction of the thymic lymphocytes with lectin is necessary, but not sufficient, for mitogenesis. A lymphokine, or costimulator for mitogenesis, is released by normal spleen or thymus cells during the first 16 hr of their exposure to Con A, and in the presence of a phytomitogen it stimulates thymic mitogenesis. Under conditions of low costimulator levels, no mitogenesis follows the interaction of Con A with cells. The response of adult CBA/J mouse thymocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) is very low, compared to their response to Con A. When costimulator is added to PHA, the cells respond as well as they do to Con A. Costimulator does not act through Con A-binding sites on thymus cells. Its production is dependent on both cells carrying omega surface antigen (T lymphocytes) and adherent cells of the macrophage-monocyte series. The adherent population, but not the T cells, may be heavily irradiated without affecting production of costimulator. Costimulator is not a mitogen on its own.     

Requirement for an Ia-bearing accessory cell in Con A-induced T cell proliferation.

Pretreatment of murine lymphoid cells with anti-Ia and C abrogated the proliferative response of these cells to Con A, but not to PHA. Reconstitution experiments demonstrated that T cell-enriched populations failed to restore Con A responsiveness and that T cell-depleted populations were more effective in restoring responsiveness to Con A. In particular, a population of 1000 R resistant, glass-adherent, non-T spleen cells was capable of completely restoring responsiveness to Con A when added in numbers as low as 4% of cultured cells. These splenic adherent cells were found to express Ia determinants encoded by at least two genes: one in I-A and the other in I-B, I-J, and/or I-E/C, and it was demonstrated that determinants encoded in these two regions were expressed on the same cell. These results demonstrate that non-T accessory cells may be the Ia+ cells entirely responsible for the anti-Ia and C-induced abrogation of T cell proliferative responses to Con A.     

Inhibition of mitogen-stimulated T lymphocyte proliferation by calcitonin gene-related peptide

The effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on mouse lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by mitogens was studied. CGRP (10(-10)-10(-7) M) dose-dependently inhibited the proliferative response of mouse lymph node cells and spleen cells stimulated by T cell mitogens concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA), whereas a B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not inhibit this response. The maximal inhibition by this peptide was 50% to 80% at 10(-8) and 10(-7) M. The addition of 10(-8) and 10(-7) M CGRP to lymph node cell cultures 24 hr after stimulation with Con A or PHA also had a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferative response. Furthermore, in the same concentration range (10(-10)-10(-7) M) CGRP increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentration in nylon wool nonadherent cells, but not in nylon wool adherent cells. CGRP had no significant effect on intracellular cyclic GMP concentration. In addition, specific binding of CGRP was observed in mouse spleen cells. Our present study suggests that CGRP inhibits the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to the mitogens by interacting with cell receptors coupled with adenylate cyclase. CGRP may be implicated in the regulation of T cell function.     

Triiodothyronine affects the phytohemagglutinin to concanavalin A proliferative response ratio in sex-linked dwarf chickens

Euthyroid Cornell K strain and sex-linked dwarf (SLD) strain cockerels (which have abnormally low serum triiodothyronine concentrations) were supplemented with either 0, 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 ppm of triiodothyronine (T3) in the diet. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from these cockerels were obtained by slow-speed centrifugation (slow-spin-prepared PBL). The proliferative response of these PBL to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) was determined when the chicks were 6, 9, and 12 weeks of age. Con A responsiveness was also determined in 12-week-old cockerels using PBL which were separated on Ficoll (Ficoll-prepared PBL). Using slow-spin-prepared PBL, PHA, and Con A responsiveness increased in both strains with increasing levels of T3 supplementation. This enhancing effect of T3 was particularly evident in older cockerels. In 6- and 12-week-old SLD strain cockerels, the PHA:Con A response ratio was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than in K strain cockerels. At 12 weeks of age the PHA:Con A response ratio of the SLD strain was elevated to K strain control levels by T3 supplementation. Therefore, the lower PHA:Con A response ratio in the SLD strain appears to be partially due to the existing peripheral hypothyroidism in this strain. Using Ficoll-prepared PBL, the effects of T3 on Con A responsiveness differed from those observed when slow-spin-prepared PBL were used. From this study we conclude that T3 supplementation affects mitogen responsiveness and the PHA:Con A response ratio. However, the effects of T3 on mitogen responsiveness depend on the age of the chicken, the level of T3 supplemented, the T cell population stimulated, and the method of lymphocyte enrichment.     

The role of macrophages in thymocyte mitogenesis.

The thymic lymphocytes of CBA/J mice respond to the mitogen Concanavalin A (Con A) only in the presence of adherent cells of the monocyte-macrophage series. Depletion of adherent cells abrogates the response, and macrophage-rich population of cells restore it. The need for macrophages and mitogen is completely provided by irradiated splenic macrophages which have been exposed to Con A and washed free of the soluble mitogen. The mitogenmacrophage effect in this case is apparently not due to soluble factors. Even more striking than the effect of macrophages on fresh cultures of thymic lymphocytes is their ability to restimulate quiescent cells 72 hr after their first stimulation with Con A. The quiescent cells respond immediately and quantitatively to Con A in the presence of fresh macrophages. This stimulation, like that of fresh thymocytes, is also controlled by a lymphokine ("costimulator") produced by mixing macrophages, mitogen, ant T lymphocytes. Our data suggest a model in which two signals are required for mitogenesis. First, the interaction of macrophage, T cell, and mitogen elicits a soluble costimulator, which is itself not mitogenic. Secondly, in the presence of costimulator, the mitogen (either soluble, or, more efficiently, bound to macrophages) induces a proliferative response in the T cell.     

In vitro proliferation of blood,spleen and thymus leukocytes from the turtle Mauremys caspica

Cell-mediated immune responses is commonly evaluated by cell proliferation assays. Mitogens are known to induce a vigorous proliferative response in lymphoid cells from mammals but relatively fewer studies have investigated mitogen-mediated lymphoproliferation in non-mammalian animals. In the present work, we incubated spleen, thymus and blood leukocytes with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM), by different times of incubation (96 and 120 h) and at different concentrations. Our results show that the optimal mitogen concentrations inducing proliferation on leukocytes from Mauremys caspica were 20 microg/ml PHA, 1 microg/ml Con A, 12.5 microg/ml LPS and 1/150 dilution PWM. The optimal time of incubation was dependent on the type of leukocytes (peripheral blood leukocytes, splenic leukocytes or thymic cells) and the mitogen utilized.     

Suppression of Con A mitogen-induced proliferation of normal spleen cells by macrophages from chickens with hereditary muscular dystrophy

Spleen cells from chickens with hereditary muscular dystrophy (MD) give low blastogenic responses to the T cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) while exhibiting normal mitogen stimulated blastogenic responses to the T cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The addition of MD spleen cells to normal spleen cells caused a marked suppression of the Con A response of the normal cells while not affecting the PHA response of the normal cells. The suppressive activity by the MD spleen cells requires viable cells and is contact mediated. The suppressive activity is attributed to the presence in MD spleens of a population of suppressor cells with characteristics typical of macrophages. The suppressor cell activity was not removable by complement-mediated lysis using anti-T or anti-B sera, but it was reversible by treatment with carrageenan or carbonyl iron magnet, by passage through a Sephadex G-10 column, and by adherence to plastic petri dishes or glass beads. MD spleen cells depleted of the suppressor cell population remained unable to respond to Con A.     

Mitogenic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops): Apparent role of adherent cells

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from normal vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were examined for blastogenic responses to concanavalin A (ConA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). The mitogen stimulated PBM in a dose-dependent manner. Response to ConA was apparently higher than for the other two mitogens. Cell density and mitogen concentration were critical parameters for optimal lymphocyte proliferation, an observation in line with that reported for other mammalian species. Depletion of an adherent cell population probably of monocyte/macrophage lineage from vervet PBM gave higher proliferative responses to both ConA and PHA, but the response without adherent cells to ConA was greater than the response without adherent cells to PHA. This latter finding is in contrast to what has been reported in many other species.     

Modulation of lymphocyte functions by group A streptococcal membrane

Protoplast membranes isolated from group A streptococci suppress functions of mouse B cells in vivo and in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection 24 or 72 hr (but not 12 hr) before collection of lymphoid cells results in a selective decrease in the mitogenic response of bone marrow cells to dextran sulfate (DS). The response of bone marrow cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and spleen cells to both DS and LPS, is unaltered. In vitro exposure of lymphocytes to membranes concomitantly with mitogen reduces the response to both DS and LPS, however, the DS response is more susceptible to low doses of membrane. Suppression of the response to DS in vitro is not mediated by cells bearing Thy 1.2 antigen. Neither the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-responsive cells nor the adherent cells participate in suppression of the LPS response in vitro. In contrast to the suppression of B-cell functions neither the PHA nor concanavalin A (Con A) response of mouse bone marrow, spleen, or thymus cells is altered by streptococcal protoplast membranes injected 24 hr before collection of cells. In vitro exposure of spleen cells to a limited range of concentrations of membrane results in an enhanced proliferative response of spleen cells stimulated by suboptimal doses of PHA. This synergism is not mediated by the adherent cells. Addition of membranes to spleen cell cultures in vitro has no effect upon the response of spleen cells to suboptimal doses of Con A or to optimal doses of either Con A or PHA. Higher concentrations of membranes reduce the proliferative response of both control and mitogen-stimulated cells. This nonselective suppression by high doses of membranes is not due to toxicity. Delayed hypersensitivity to sheep erythrocytes is potentiated by injection of membranes. These studies suggest that streptococcal membranes preferentially suppress the immature B cells and enhance certain T-cell functions.     

Direct evidence for the response of B and T cells to pokeweed mitogen

Chicken spleen cells containing chromosomally marked thymus derived (T) and bursa-derived (B₂) cells were evaluated for their ability to respond to pokeweed mitogen (PWM), concanavalin A (Con A), and to anti-immunoglobulin serum during a 4-day culture period. The results indicate that soluble PWM induces a proliferative response of B₂ cells in addition to a predominant T cell response. The PWM-induced B₂ cell proliferative response was clearly detected only at 4 days after culture initiation. Soluble Con A did not induce detectable proliferation of B₂ cells and stimulated T cells exclusively. In contrast, anti-immunoglobulin serum was a specific stimulant for B₂ cells under the culture conditions used.     

In vitro studies of the rabbit immune system. IV. Differential mitogen responses of isolated T and B cells.

The mitogenic responses of separated rabbit lymphocyte populations functionally analogous to mouse T and B cells have been tested in vitro. Purified T cells were prepared by passage over nylon wool (NW) and purified B cells prepared by treatment with antithymocyte serum and complement (ATS + C). ATS + C kills 70% of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL's) and 50% of the spleen cells while passage over NW yields 40% of the applied PBL's and 5–23% of the applied spleen cells. NW-purified T cells from the spleen or PBL's respond fully to concanavalin A (Con A) but have a reduced response to phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and little or no response to goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin (anti-Ig). PBL's that survive ATS + C (B cells) are stimulated by anti-Ig but not by Con A or PHA. B cells purified from spleen do not respond to Con A or PHA but will respond to anti-Ig under appropriate conditions. A full spleen B-cell response to anti-Ig required removal of Ig produced by the cultures that blocked anti-Ig stimulation. It is concluded that, for rabbit lymphocytes, Con A and PHA are primarily T-cell mitogens and that anti-Ig is primarily a B-cell mitogen. However, the mitogen response of unfractionated PBL or spleen cell populations indicates an overlap in reactivity. This could be due to cells sharing T and B properties, alteration of cell populations by the fractionation procedures used, or recruitment of one population in the presence of a mitogenic response of the other population.     

In vitro induction of lymphocyte responsiveness by a Strongylus vulgaris-derived mitogen

Proliferation in vitro of peripheral blood lymphocytes both from horses infected with Strongylus vulgaris and from helminth-free ponies was observed in the presence of extracts of the fourth and fifth stage larvae and adults of S. vulgaris. In addition, S. vulgaris extracts induced transformation in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from sheep and dogs and in mouse spleen cell cultures. Nylon wool non-adherent, T cell enriched fractions of lymphocytes from both mice and horses were stimulated by the S. vulgaris larval mitogen while no proliferation was observed in cultures containing nylon wool adherent, B cell enriched fractions. Macrophage co-operation appeared not to be necessary for S. vulgaris mitogen-induced transformation of spleen cells. The S. vulgaris mitogen stimulated a subpopulation of mouse spleen cells different from those responsive to PHA, Con A and LPS. These cells might be T helper cells since B cells were stimulated to proliferate in the presence of both T cells and S. vulgaris larval mitogen. In addition, the supernatant of in vitro cultured larvae of S. vulgaris induced slight, but significant transformation of equine peripheral blood lymphocytes. Therefore, it is possible that the S. vulgaris mitogen released by both viable parasites and degenerating larvae might induce T cell dependent production of immunoglobulin in vivo and account for the beta-globulinaemia, of which IgG(T) is a major component, in S vulgaris infected horses.     

Experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis. I. Nonspecific immunodepression in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania tropica

Leishmania tropica in BALB/c mice causes a fatal infection accompanied by the development of multiple metastatic lesions. Spleen cells from these mice were shown to have depressed proliferative responses to concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Coinciding with this immunodepression was the development of a cell population capable of suppressing normal spleen cell responses to Con A. This suppressor cell activity was first observed at 6 wk and was present throughout the remainder of the infection. At 12 wk the suppressor cells could be removed by Sephadex G-10 passage or carbonyl iron treatment; however, Sephadex G-10 passage could not reverse the suppression at 18 wk. Indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, was found to abrogate the activity of the adherent suppressor cell, suggesting that prostaglandin production may be involved in the immunosuppression seen in these mice. In addition, Sephadex G-10 passage and indomethacin were found to markedly augment spleen cell responses to leishmanial antigen, indicating that the adherent suppressor cell is capable of regulating specific immunologic responses.     

Immunoregulation in experimental filariasis. I. In vitro suppression of mitogen-induced blastogenesis by adherent cells from Jirds chronically infected with Brugia pahangi

Nonspecific immunoregulatory events were examined in inbred jirds chronically infected with Brugia pahangi. The responsiveness of spleen cells from infected animals to the T cell mitogens PHA and Con A and to the B cell mitogens, LPS and PWM, was found to be suppressed by as much as 90% when compared with the reactivity of lymphocytes from normal animals. Furthermore, spleen cells from infected jirds were capable of suppressing the mitogen reactivity of normal spleen cells. Depletion of cells adherent to nylon wool, glass wool, or plastic alleviated the regulatory activity exerted by spleen cells from infected jirds. Addition of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase, to cultures of spleen cells from infected animals did not alter the suppression observed. In contrast, lymphocytes from the peripheral lymph nodes of infected jirds did not exhibit depressed T cell mitogen reactivity and were incapable of suppressing the PHA or Con A responsiveness of normal lymph node cells. However, the reactivity of lymph node cells from infected jirds to B cell mitogens, LPS and PWM, was suppressed. These results imply the existence of multiple regulatory mechanisms, at least one of which is restricted to the spleen. The relevance of nonspecific regulation to development of parasite-specific immunologic reactivity and to the infection is discussed.     

The regulatory role of adenosine-activated T-lymphocyte subset on the immune response in humans: I. Mitogenic response and production of mediators

Human T lymphocytes, rerosetted with sheep erythrocytes in the presence of adenosine, yield two subpopulations: a major one (E_R), still capable of forming E rosettes; and a minor nonrosetting (E_S) one. The two subpopulations differed in their proliferative responses to various mitogens. E_R cells responded well to galactose oxidase (GO), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) but responded poorly to concanavalin A (Con A). The response of E_S cells was poor to GO and SBA, intermediate to PHA, and significantly high to Con A. The different response of E_R and E_S subsets to Con A was not greatly affected by adherent cells, but an enhancing effect on the proliferation of E_S cells to Con A was observed when prostaglandin synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin. Addition of E_S cells to E_R cells in a ratio of 1:5 resulted in an enhanced synergistic effect of Con A-induced proliferation. A soluble mitogenic factor released from Con A-activated T cells appeared involved in this enhanced proliferation. This factor (E_SF) was produced only by the minor T-cell subpopulation which is sensitive to adenosine (E_S). The induction of E_SF was not dependent on the addition of adherent cells and required 72 hr of incubation for its production. E_SF was mitogenic to nonactivated and Con A-activated PBL as well as to T, E_R, and E_S subpopulations. Following incubation of E_R cells with E_SF, a suppressor factor (E_RSF) was produced which abolished the mitogenic activity of E_SF. Differences between these factors and a known mediator like Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and suppressor factors are discussed.     

Cytotoxic effector cell function in organized gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).

Lymphocytes from the organized gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) of adult guinea pigs were examined for surface markers characteristic of T and B lymphocytes and for their capacity to function as effector cells in mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) reactions. GALT lymphocytes formed rosettes with rabbit erythrocytes, a T-cell marker, and underwent proliferative responses in vitro in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). GALT lymphocytes were cytotoxic in vitro for erythrocyte and DBA mastocytoma targets in the presence of PHA. A population of GALT lymphocytes bound aggregated γ-globulin; however, they functioned poorly in ADCC reactions. Thus, organized GALT in the guinea pig contains lymphocytes capable of functioning in T-cell-dependent MICC reactions but either lacks the effector cell population which mediates ADCC or contains an effector cell which functions poorly in ADCC.     

Subpopulations of human thymus cells differing in their capacity to form stable E-rosettes and in their immunologic reactivity.

The majority of human thymus cells from young donors form stable E-rosettes with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) that do not distintegrate after prolonged incubation at 37 degrees C. With advancing age the proportion of thymus cells forming such rosettes decreases gradually. The thymus of a patient receiving prednisone treatment was found to contain only a few cells that formed stable E-rosettes. The minor population of thymus cells that fails to form stable E-rosettes (non-rosetting or NR cells) was isolated and tested for its cell surface markers and immunologic reactivity in vitro. Most of the NR-cells were capable of forming regular E-rosettes with SRBC at room temperature. Like the majority of human thymus cells they were sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of normal constituted less than 0.2% of the original thymus cell suspensions, but about 1 to 3% of the NR-population. Thymus cells from donors over the age of 36 and from a prednisone-treated child responded in vitro to stimulation with either phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A). Unfractionated thymus cells from children up to the age of 14 failed to react to either PHA or Con A, but their NR-population responded vigorously to both lectins. In contrast to unfractionated thymus cell suspensions from children, the NR fraction showed a significant reactivity in mixed lymphocyte cultures with mitomycin-C treated allogeneic lymphocytes. It is concluded that like the thymus of other species, the human thymus contains a minor population of cortisone-resistant cells endowed with many of the immunologic properties characteristic for periperal T lymphocytes.     

A reappraisal of the effector cells mediating mitogen induced cellular cytotoxicity.

The ability of mitogens to induce cytotoxic effector reactions in vitro has been studied to investigate basic mechanisms of cell mediated cytotoxicity. The type of mitogen, the source of effector cells, and the nature of the target cell are all critical variables in determining the characteristics of the cytotoxic event in this system. Spleen cells and bone marrow cells from congenitally athymic nude mice as well as from their heterozygous control littermates were capable of mediating lysis of RBC targets in the presence of either PHA or Con A. Removal of macrophages from these effector populations by adherence columns, density gradient centrifugation, and carrageenan treatment failed to abrogate this cytotoxic capacity. However, purified macrophages themselves also were capable of mediating mitogen induced killing of RBC targets, although the kinetics of this cytotoxicity were substantially different from that induced by lymphocytes. In contrast to these observations, the capacity of mitogen stimulated cells to kill metabolically active complex targets like the P815 mastocytoma or cultured L cells appears to be exclusively a T lymphocyte dependent function. In addition, blastogenic transformation of the effector cells with the T cell mitogens PHA and Con A, but not with the B cell mitogen LPS, leads to enhanced killing of these complex targets. These data suggest that mitogen or lectin induced cellular cytotoxicity can detect at least three different active effector cell types (B cells, T cells, and macrophages) acting via at least four different mechanisms.     

Studies of the T-lymphocytes resident in the spleens of thymectomized, irradiated, bone marrow-reconstituted (TXB) mice.

The T-lymphocytes resident in the spleens of thymectomized, lethally irradiated mice that had been reconstituted with syngeneic bone marrow (TXB) were characterized. Both recently reconstituted N-TXB, (approximately 3 weeks after bone marrow injection) and aged (>6 months after reconstitution) A-TXB animals were studied. The T-lymphocytes from spleens of recently reconstituted N-TXB donors did not respond to PHA but did react significantly to Concanavalin A (Con A). The lack of PHA sensitivity was not due to dilution of reactive cells by other cell types. Removal of adherent cells, likewise, did not restore N-TXB spleen cell PHA responsiveness. N-TXB splenic T-cells were cortisone resistant. N-TXB spleen cells by themselves did not cause a graft vs host response. However, N-TXB spleen cells amplified the graft vs host response of normal lymph node cells but not N-TXB lymph node cells. Addition of cyclic GMP enhanced [³H]thymidine uptake of N-TXB spleen cells caused by Con A. N-TXB spleen cells were exclusively spleen seeking. The Con A reactive cell within N-TXB spleens was demonstrated to be of donor origin. Fetal liver as well as syngeneic bone marrow contained cells capable of reconstituting the Con A response. Spleen cells from aged. (>6 months) A-TXB were found to be PHA sensitive. Competitive inhibition assays measuring θ expression in A-TXB spleen cells indicate a significant increase in the θ positive lymphocyte population occurred with time. The data indicate that considerable reconstitution of θ positive cells had occurred in A-TXB donors. The results also suggest that the T-lymphocyte population of the TXB spleen may be a unique subpopulation of T-lymphocytes that resides exclusively in spleen and bone marrow.     

Rabbit T cells with and without Fc receptors

Earlier, indirect evidence for rabbit subpopulations differing in Fc receptors and in response to mitogen has been directly tested. T cells were purified from spleen suspension by removal of adherent cells, followed by removal of Ig-bearing cells on petri dishes coated with antibody, directed against the light chain allotype of Ig receptors. The purified cells were further fractionated by formation of EA rosettes and separation on Ficoll-Hypaque. T cells which lacked Fc receptors had a larger response when stimulated with Con A or PHA than did T cells which possessed Fc receptors. Both subpopulations responded more when irradiated nonadherent B cells were added to the mixture, but the extent of help was the same for both cell populations. T cells which contained both Fc receptor-bearing cells and cells which lacked the receptor had a response which was intermediate between that of the two separated subpopulations.