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.     

The proliferative response of rat T cells to calcium ionophores increases with age

Splenocytes and T cells from both old and young rats proliferate to A23187 and ionomycin, and this response increases 3- to 10-fold in aged animals. Augmented responsiveness to ionomycin occurs in the absence of any defect in Con A-induced proliferation of T lymphocytes of aged rats and is dependent upon the addition of thiol compounds to the tissue culture medium. Augmented proliferative responses to ionomycin precede the significant but much smaller decline (30 to 40%) in Con A-induced proliferative responsiveness of splenocytes, which is evident only when rats reach 24 months of age. Heightened proliferation to calcium ionophores is not caused by a greater ability of T lymphocytes from aged rats to increase [Ca2+]i in response to ionomycin. The increased proliferative response of lymphocytes from aged rats to ionomycin occurs in the absence of detectable amounts of secreted IL 2 or IL 4. The ionophore response is a much more sensitive biomarker of age than the decline in Con A-induced proliferative responses of lymphocytes and identifies an activity of T lymphocytes that increases rather than decreases during the aging process.     

Some requirements for the response of separated T-cell sub-populations to the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A.

The proliferative response of various separated populations of mouse spleen and thymus lymphocytes to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) was not a direct function of the level of responsive T cells, but was governed by other regulatory effects. These included a stimulation by adherent macrophages, an inhibition by a separate population of adherent cells and an adherent cell independent restriction of proliferation at high cell concentration. In contrast, the proliferative response to Concanavalin A (Con A) was more closely related to the level of responsive T cells. All density and electrophoretically isolated sub-sets of splenic T cells appeared capable of a proliferative response to PHA and Con A, although under some conditions the PHA responsiveness of certain fractions was suppressed. In the thymus, the minor low theta sub-population appeared capable of response to both mitogens, and accounted for all the activity of the unfractioned thymus cells. No response to either mitogen could be obtained from the major, high theta thymocyte population.     

Effector mechanisms of cytolytically activated macrophages. I. Secretion of neutral proteases and effect of protease inhibitors

Peritoneal macrophages from C56BL/6J mice, when activated by bacillus Calmette-Guérin, lysed syngeneic MCA-I sarcoma targets but not syngeneic embryo fibroblasts. Inflammatory macrophages elicited by concanavalin A (Con A) did not appreciably lyse either target. The activated macrophages secreted more neutral proteases into the extracellular compartment, both absolutely and relative to intracellular content, than did the Con A inflammatory macrophages. Bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) (750 KIU/ml) and diisopropylfluorophosphate (2 x 10(-3) M) inhibited cytolysis of neoplastic targets by the activated macrophages. The BPTI had to be present during the 48-hr macrophage-tumor cell interaction to reduce cytolysis; pretreatment of either the macrophages or the targets by the BPTI did not reduce cytolysis. The inhibitors, at the concentrations found to inhibit cytolysis, were not toxic to the macrophages as judged by morphology, by the ability of the macrophages to incorporate leucine into protein, and by the potential for cytolytic activation of the macrophages in vitro. It is suggested that neutral serine protease(s) secreted by activated macrophages participate in the cytolytic destruction of neoplastic cells.     

Effects of concanavalin A-induced cells on the proliferative response of T cells. Concanavalin A-induced suppressor and amplifier cells to the proliferative response of human T cells to trinitrophenyl-modified autologous lymphocytes.

Effects of Con A-induced human mononuclear cells on the proliferative response of peripheral T cells were examined by using TNP-modified autologous lymphocytes as stimulator cells. Cells induced by incubation with Con A contained both suppressor cells and amplifier cells. The former were induced from nylon wool-nonadherent T cells and these precursor cells were sensitive to mitomycin treatment. On the other hand, amplifier precursor cells were nylon wool-nonadherent T cells and were resistant to mitomycin treatment. Cell proliferation was required for the induction of suppressor cells but not for the induction of amplifier cells. Con A-induced suppressor effector cells were both nylon wool-adherent and nonadherent cells, on the contrary, Con A-induced amplifier effector cells were nonadherent cells. A small number of macrophages enhanced the suppressive activity of nonadherent T cells when added at the induction phase of suppressor T cells.     

Splenic and inguinal lymph node T cells of aged mice respond differently to polyclonal and antigen-specific stimuli.

Numerous changes have been reported to occur in T cell responsiveness of mice with increasing age. However, most of these studies have examined polyclonal stimulation of spleen cells from a limited number of mouse strains. This study investigated the influence of genetic background, source of lymphocytes, and type of stimulus on age-associated changes in T cells response. Con A-induced proliferation and IL-2 and IFN-gamma production by splenic lymphocytes (SL) was significantly greater in CBA/Ca mice compared to C57BL/6 mice, regardless of age. SL of both strains exhibited the predicted age-dependent decline in proliferative response and an increase in IFN-gamma production in response to Con A. In contrast, however, only SL from C57BL/6 mice demonstrated the predicted age-dependent decline in Con A-induced IL-2 production; Con A-induced SL of young and aged CBA/Ca mice produced comparable amounts of IL-2. Differences in age-associated responses to Con A were also observed between SL and inguinal lymph node (ILN) cells of CBA/Ca mice. In contrast to SL, ILN cells demonstrated an increased proliferative response to Con A. However, lymphokine production by Con A-stimulated ILN cells from aged CBA/Ca mice was similar to that of Con A-stimulated SL from aged CBA/Ca mice. To determine if aged ILN T cells respond similarly to polyclonal and antigen-specific stimuli, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) responses of T cells isolated from ILN of aged and young CBA/Ca mice were examined. KLH-specific T cells from aged mice cultured with KLH-pulsed macrophages (M phi) from aged mice were significantly reduced in their ability to proliferate compared to KLH-specific T cells of young mice cultured with young KLH-pulsed M phi. In contrast to the expected results, the defect was not at the level of the T cells; proliferation of young T cells cultured with aged KLH-pulsed M phi was equivalent to the proliferation of aged T cells cultured with aged M phi. These results suggest that aging has differential effects on polyclonal and antigen-specific T cell proliferation and on polyclonal stimulation of T cells isolated from different lymphoid organs and from different strains of mice.     

Exogenous interleukin-2 abrogates differences in the proliferative responses to T cell mitogens among inbred strains of mice.

The proliferative response of spleen cells from BALB/c mice to stimulation with a T cell mitogen, concanavalin A (Con A), was two or more times stronger than that of cells from C57BL/10SnSc (B10) mice. In contrast, the cells from B10 mice responded better to B cell mitogen bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The differences in the proliferative response to Con A stimulation were not associated with the function of macrophages nor did they depend on IL-1. Spleen cells from BALB/c and B10 mice synthesized comparable amounts of mRNA for IL-1 alpha, and the production of biologically active IL-1 was even higher in the B10 strain. Indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, had no effect on the differences in reactivity between the cells from BALB/c and B10 mice. In addition, no differences in the synthesis of mRNA for the inducible 55-kDa interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptors were found between the spleen cells from BALB/c and B10 mice. However, Con A-stimulated spleen cells from B10 mice produced a significantly lower amount of biologically active IL-2 than similarly stimulated cells from BALB/c mice. In the presence of exogenous IL-2, these low responder spleen cells from the B10 mice responded by proliferation to Con A stimulation to the same extent as cells from the BALB/c mice. These results thus show that a low proliferative response to Con A stimulation in B10 mice was a consequence of a lower production of IL-2 and possibly abrogated the proliferative hyporeactivity produced by exogenous IL-2. We suggest that the differences in the ability to produce IL-2 could be a reason for the discrepancies observed in the immunological responsiveness between BALB/c and B10 mice.     

Inhibition of human antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and natural killing by a xenogeneic antiserum prepared against "activated" alloimmune human lymphocytes

Xenogeneic antiserum (RH1) was prepared in Lewis rats by hyperimmunization with concanavalin A- (Con A) activated alloimmune human lymphocytes. The antiserum RH1 effectively inhibited human antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC), and natural killing (NK) in the absence of complement (C). Inhibition by RH1 was dependent on the dilution of antiserum employed and the number of cytotoxic lymphocytes present during cytolysis. Pretreatment of lymphocytes with RH1 or the presence of RH1 in culture did not inhibit lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by Con A, phytohemagglutinin, or allogeneic cells; lymphokine production as measured by leukocyte-inhibiting factor production; antibody-dependent C lysis; or CMC mediated by murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Analysis of the mechanism of inhibition of cytotoxicity by RH1 revealed that 1) RH1 was not cytotoxic for human lymphocytes at 37 degrees C in the absence of C; 2) purified F(ab')2 fragments were equally inhibitory as whole serum; 3) pretreatment of lymphocytes with RH1 effectively inhibited their capacity to mediate ADCC, CMC, or NK, and this effect was reversible by culturing the cells overnight at 37 degrees C; 4) RH1 did not inhibit target cell binding by K cells, effector cells of ADCC, or alloimmune T cells, but did inhibit binding by NK cells; and finally, 5) the addition of RH1 to preformed lymphocyte-target conjugates in a single cell cytotoxicity assay inhibited killing of the bound target cells in all three systems without disrupting the conjugates. Collectively, these findings suggest that RH1 antiserum interacts with structures present on the surfaces of cytotoxic lymphocytes that are involved in the activation of the lytic mechanism(s) or with the actual lytic molecule or molecules themselves. Furthermore, the ability of RH1 to inhibit ADCC, CMC, and NK during the post-binding cytolytic phase of these reactions indicates that binding and cytolysis are distinct and separate events in all types of cell-mediated cytolysis.     

Studies of the mechanism by which gangliosides inhibit the proliferative response of murine splenocytes to concanavalin A

Gangliosides are known to inhibit the proliferative response of murine and human lymphocytes to antigens and mitogens in vitro. In this study the response of murine spleen cells to concanavalin A (Con A) was used as a model system. Analysis of the cellular events by flow cytometry revealed that during the first 24 hr of culture the effect of gangliosides on Con A-treated cells was minimal. At 48 hr, however, more of the ganglioside-treated cells were in G0/G1, the cells contained more RNA, and fewer cells were in S phase. These data indicate that gangliosides inhibit the transition of the cells from G0/G1 into the S phase of the cell cycle. Expression of the interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor, as measured by the binding of a monoclonal antibody to the receptor, was not inhibited by the gangliosides. Binding of 125I-labeled recombinant IL-2 to cells cultured for 48 hr with Con A was inhibited by ganglioside GD1a but not by asialo GM1. Inhibition was much more effective if the gangliosides were preincubated with IL-2 before addition of cells, but no inhibition was observed if the cells were preincubated with gangliosides and the unbound gangliosides were washed out prior to addition of the IL-2. These data suggest that interference with the binding of IL-2 to the high-affinity IL-2 receptor of activated T lymphocytes plays an important role in the inhibition of Con A-induced proliferation.     

Concanavalin A triggers T lymphocytes by directly interacting with their receptors for activation

Anti-HLA-DR antibodies did not inhibit concanavalin A-(Con A) induced T cell proliferation or the generation of suppressor cells capable of inhibiting immunoglobulin synthesis in autologous mononuclear cells after pokeweed mitogen stimulation. Nylon-wool purified T cells (pretreated with anti-HLA-DR antibody and C) exposed to Con A acquired responsiveness to interleukin 2 (IL 2) and were able to absorb this growth factor, whereas nonlectin-treated cells did not respond to IL 2 and could not absorb it. In the presence of interleukin 1 (IL 1), Con A stimulated the synthesis of IL 2 in purified OKT4+ lymphocytes but not OKT8+ cells. However, in the absence of IL 1, neither resting OKT4+ nor Con A-treated OKT4+ cells produced IL 2. Con A by itself did not directly stimulate macrophages to synthesize IL 1, although it could do so in the presence of OKT4+ but not OKT8+ lymphocytes. In addition, Con A induced proliferation of purified T cells provided IL 1 was supplied to the cultures. Cyclosporin A rendered Con A-treated T cells unresponsive to IL 2, made lectin-stimulated OKT4+ lymphocytes unable to respond to IL 1, and inhibited the synthesis of IL 2. Furthermore, this drug abrogated the Con A-stimulated synthesis of IL 1 by acting on OKT4+ lymphocytes and not on macrophages. Finally, cyclosporin-A suppressed the proliferative response and the generation of suppressor T cells induced by Con A. The following are concluded: 1) HLA-DR antigens do not seem to play any role in the triggering of T cells by Con A, and macrophages participate in lectin-induced activation of T cells mainly by providing IL 1. 2) Cyclosporin-A inhibits activation of T cells by interfering with the mechanism by which Con A stimulates T lymphocytes. 3) Con A triggers T lymphocytes by directly interacting with their receptors for activation.     

T-lymphocyte function and sensitivity to interferon in trisomy 21

Previous studies have shown that cells from subjects with trisomy 21 have enhanced sensitivity to the antiviral effects of interferon, presumably because of the location of the gene, IfRec, coding for the species-specific response to interferon on chromosome 21. Interferon is also known to have many other effects including the ability to inhibit the proliferation of many types of cells. To determine whether proliferating trisomic lymphocytes are more sensitive to the antiproliferative effect of interferon we have investigated, using healthy noninstitutionalized subjects with trisomy 21, the ability of interferon to inhibit the proliferation of lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin P(PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and tetanus toxoid. The trisomic subjects had normal numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes, and normal numbers and proportions of T and B lymphocytes. The production of interferon by PHA-stimulated trisomic T lymphocytes was normal. Trisomic lymphocytes also had normal proliferative responses to PHA and Con A. There were no differences between the inhibitory effects of interferon on the proliferation of PHA-stimulated trisomic and normal lymphocytes. However, trisomic lymphocytes stimulated with low doses of Con A did display significantly enhanced sensitivity to the antiproliferative effects of interferon. In contrast to normal lymphocytes, trisomic lymphocytes were not stimulated to proliferate by tetanus toxoid, and exposure to interferon resulted in enhancement, rather than inhibition, of DNA synthesis.     

Concanavalin A-inducible suppressor cells in pleural effusions and peripheral blood of cancer patients

Summary Carcinomatous pleural effusions of 18 of 20 patients with lung cancer contained suppressor cell precursors that could be activated by concanavalin A (Con A) to suppress the proliferative responses of autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin and Con A. However, pleural effusion cells showed no suppressor function without prior activation by Con A. In contrast, the peripheral blood of the cancer patients exhibiting impaired mitogenic response contained nonspecific spontaneous suppressor cells capable of inhibiting the lymphoproliferative response to mitogens without prior activation by Con A, but these cells were not able to show further suppressor function even after activation by Con A. The maximum suppression was observed after 48-h treatment of lymphocytes with optimally mitogenic doses of Con A. The Con A-inducible suppressor cells of the pleural effusion and spontaneous suppressor cells of the peripheral blood of cancer patients had the same characteristics with regard to the capacity to suppress the mitogenic responses of autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes, belonging to the group of nylon wool-nonadherent T cells and being sensitive to in vitro culture and resistant to treatment with mitomycin C.     

Suppression of lymphokine production: II. Macrophage-dependent inhibition of production of macrophage activating factor

The ability of different populations of macrophages to affect the production of macrophage activating factor (MAF) by stimulated T lymphocytes was investigated. We found that activated macrophages, infiltrating MSV-induced regressing tumors or macrophages recovered from the peritoneum of mice injected with Corynebacterium parvum, were able to actively suppress the production of MAF. MAF production by antigen-stimulated MSV-immune or -alloimmune spleen cells and by normal spleen cells stimulated by Con A was susceptible to macrophage-dependent suppression to a similar extent. In contrast, resident macrophages or those elicited by light mineral oil or proteose-peptone did not affect MAF production. While suppressor macrophages added at the time of the lymphocyte stimulation inhibited MAF production, the same cells added 4–6 hr after stimulation were ineffective. Therefore, it seems that the macrophages suppressed the early events of lymphocyte activation leading to MAF production. Suppressor macrophages, by inhibiting MAF production, may limit the expansion of the cytotoxic activity. This regulation of macrophage functions, mediated by the effects of suppressor macrophages on T lymphocytes, could be responsible for an insufficient antitumor cytotoxic response by macrophages.     

Patients treated for amebic liver abscess develop cell-mediated immune responses effective in vitro against Entamoeba histolytica

We studied the afferent and efferent cell-mediated immune response in 15 patients treated for amebic liver abscess. Patients had a lower T4 to T8 ratio (1.25 +/- 0.65) compared with age- and sex-matched controls (1.89 +/- 0.44, p less than 0.01) due to a decrease in T4-"helper" cells and an increase in T8-"suppressor" cells (p less than 0.01). The in vitro proliferative response of patient T lymphocytes to the plant mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) was depressed; responses to phytohemagglutinin were not. The proliferative response of patient lymphocytes to an amebic soluble protein preparation (SPP) was greater than the mitogenic response seen in control lymphocytes (mean of 68,300 delta cpm and 22,300 delta cpm, respectively, p less than 0.001), correlated with the T4 to T8 ratio (p less than 0.05) and the duration of time from initiation of antiamebic therapy (p less than 0.01). Supernatants from patient lymphocytes exposed to the amebic SPP activated normal monocyte-derived macrophages to kill virulent axenic E. histolytica trophozoites (p less than 0.001); patient monocyte-derived macrophages activated by Con A-elicited lymphokine could also kill amebae. Finally, when incubated with the amebic SPP for 5 days, T lymphocytes from patients were able to kill virulent amebae (p less than 0.005); patient T lymphocytes not exposed to the amebic SPP or control T lymphocytes incubated for 5 days with the amebic SPP were not cytotoxic to E. histolytica trophozoites. In summary, after cure of amebic liver abscess, specific cell-mediated immune mechanisms develop that are effective in vitro against the parasite.     

Studies on the regulation of lymphocyte reactivity by normal and activated macrophages.

To determine the potential role of macrophages as regulators of the immune response, the effect of mouse peritoneal macrophages on transforming mouse spleen lymphocytes was investigated. Mitogen and antigen stimulated lymphocyte transformation, as measured by DNA synthesis, was enhanced by all concentrations of normal macrophages tested, but only by low concentrations of activated macrophages. High concentrations of activated macrophages markedly inhibited lymphocyte transformation. This inhibition occurred whether lymphocyte DNA synthesis was measured by incorporation of [³H]TdR or of ³²P. Activated macrophages cultured with lymphocytes within 4 hr of being removed from the peritoneal cavity inhibited lymphocyte transformation. When activated macrophages were cultured alone for 24 or more hours before addition of lymphocytes, enhancement of transformation was noted. Once lymphocytes were exposed to activated macrophages, they could not be induced to undergo transformation in the presence of Con A. Whereas heat-killed activated macrophages, which appeared intact morphologically, lost their capacity to inhibit lymphocyte transformation, macrophages treated with mitomycin C to inhibit DNA synthesis retained this capacity. Syngeneic and allogeneic macrophages had similar inhibitory ability. Supernatants from cultures of many cell types (including normal or activated macrophages, lymphocytes, lymphocytes plus macrophages, and L cells) inhibited [³H]TdR incorporation by both mitogen stimulated lymphocytes and tumor cells. These studies demonstrate the capacity of macrophages to regulate lymphocyte transformation in vitro and suggest a role for these cells as regulators of cell-mediated immunity in vivo.     

Characteristics and mechanisms of action of the concanavalin A-activated suppressor cell in man.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes treated for 24 to 48 hr with optimally mitogenic doses of concanavalin A suppressed the proliferative response of autologous T cells to mitogens and antigens. Con A-treated cells also suppressed the proliferative response and the immunoglobulin synthetic response of autologous B cells stimulated in vitro by T cell helper factor. The human Con A suppressor cell was sensitive to treatment with mitomycin C and to exposure to radiation doses exceeding 1000 rads. The Con A suppressor cell was shown to reside in the nylon wool-nonadherent, sheep red cell rosette-forming, histamine receptor-bearing population of lymphocytes and to lack surface DRW antigens. One mechanism of action of Con A suppressor cells was shown to be the inactivation of nonspecific T cell helper factor.     

The role of insulin in the response of murine T lymphocytes to mitogenic stimulation in vitro

The ability of insulin to influence the responsiveness of murine T lymphocytes in a culture system containing a serum substitute was documented. The presence of insulin was found to enhance the concanavalin A (Con A) reactivity of the lymphocytes. Once the cells were activated by a short-term exposure to Con A, insulin was capable of replacing Con A for the continued stimulation of the cells. This was true both for lymphocyte proliferation and for the generation of nonspecific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The presence or absence of insulin was not found to influence the phytohemagglutinin responsiveness of the T lymphocytes. Possible reasons for the observed results are discussed in relation to a proposed model for lymphocyte activation.     

Effect of T- and B-lymphocyte mitogens on interactions between lymphocytes and macrophages.

The mitogenic response of murine T cells ² to Con A, S-Con A and PHA was found to be macrophage-dependent. Optimal mitogenic responses were obtained when macrophage-depleted T-cell populations were reconstituted with 5% normal peritoneal macro-phages. Studies were carried out to investigate the effect of T- and B-cell mitogens on in vitro physical interactions between murine lymphocytes and macrophages. This was done by determining the number of T- or B cells binding to macrophages in the absence and in the presence of T- and B cell mitogens, and comparing the results of these experiments with the induction of lymphocyte proliferation. Con A increased the binding of T cells to macrophages when used in mitogenic doses (1–5 μg/ml). Dose response experiments showed that the same dose of Con A which produced maximal mitogenic stimulation also induced the greatest number of T cells to bind to macrophages. Nonmitogenic doses of Con A (20–50 μg/ml) did not enhance the binding of T cells, while identical doses of S-Con A both induced T cell mitogenesis and increased the number of T cells bound to macrophages. Similar results were obtained with PHA. None of the B-cell mitogens tested (LPS, EPO 127 and LAgl) increased the binding of either T or B cells to macrophages. PWM, which is mitogenic for both T and B cells, increased the binding of T cells to macrophages, but not that of B cells. In brief, the four T-cell mitogens tested (Con A, S-Con A, PHA, and PWM) induced specific physical interactions between T cells and macrophages, while none of the B-cell mitogens had any effect on the physical interactions between either B or T cells and macrophages when used in mitogenic doses.     

Induction of macrophage-mediated cytolysis of neoplastic cells by mycoplasmas

Unexpected cytolysis was encountered when nonactivated murine peritoneal macrophages were cultured with [³H]TdR-prelabeled syngeneic or allogeneic tumor cells at a 10:1 ratio. The level of specific cytolysis reached 70% within 48 hr of cocultivation. Similar killing was observed whether the macrophages were derived from untreated, thioglycollate-treated, or germ-free mice. Cytolytic activity was also demonstrated when bone marrow-derived or peritoneal macrophages from 9- and 5-day in vitro cultures, respectively, were employed rather than freshly harvested peritoneal macrophages. Thus, the macrophage-mediated killing was neither the result of in vivo preactivation nor a consequence of the presence of lymphocytes in the assay. Moreover, macrophages derived from different strains caused similar effects. Our study revealed that the neoplastic target cell cultures susceptible to cytolysis by nonactivated macrophages were contaminated with mycoplasma. A mycoplasma was isolated from the supernatant of a culture of the A9HT fibrosarcoma line, identified as Mycoplasma orale, and cultivated. Addition of viable mycoplasma from that isolate to mixed cultures of thioglycollate-elicited macrophages and [³H]TdR-prelabeled mycoplasma-free target cells resulted in specific cytolysis of transformed A9 cells, but not of normal mouse fibroblasts. The level of macrophage-dependent cytolysis correlated with the number of viable mycoplasma cells added and was higher than that attained by activation with LPS at optimal concentration. Similar specific cytolysis was observed with heat-killed mycoplasmas. Our results demonstrate that mycoplasmas may cause selective macrophage-mediated cytolysis of neoplastic but not of normal target cells, perhaps via activation of the macrophages. It is suggested that undetected infection of experimental systems by mycoplasmas may account for some reports on lysis of neoplastic cells by nonactivated macrophages.     

Lens culinaris lectin is a T-cell mitogen: binding inhibition by concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin-P.

Binding and mitogenicity of a lectin from Lens culinaris (LcH) were studied in mouse lymphocytes. Both continuous and pulse treatment of lymphocytes with LcH induced a mitogenic response selectively in T cells. LcH and Con A, which have similar binding specificities, exhibited binding inhibition both in unfixed cells and glutaraldehype-fixed cells, with native Con A and succinyl Con A and at 37 °C as well as 0 °C. On the other hand, reciprocal binding inhibition by a third T-cell mitogen, phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), was found only in unfixed cells at 37 °C and with native Con A, indicating that the inhibition is a secondary effect as opposed to direct competition for receptors. The inhibition of mitogenic responses to LcH and PHA-P by pretreatment of cells with Con A was studied in relation to the two different types of binding inhibition. Only the type of binding inhibition caused by a secondary effect correlated with interference with the mitogenic response.