Suppression of a pokeweed mitogen-stimulated plaque-forming cell response by a human B lymphocyte-derived aggregated IgG-stimulated suppressor factor: suppressive B cell factor (SBF)

The mechanisms whereby formed immune complexes (IC) or immunoglobulin aggregates can suppress further antibody production were explored by culturing normal human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBL) with heat-aggregated IgG (HAIgG) and collecting the culture supernatants at 24 hr. These supernatants were found to suppress a pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced rheumatoid factor plaque-forming cell (RF-PFC) response in normal individuals. PWM-induced anti-trinitrophenylated sheep red blood cell (TNP-SRBC) PFC were also inhibited by suppressor supernatants from HAIgG-stimulated PBL, suggesting that the polyclonal PFC response was inhibited by a suppressor factor. The suppressor factor inhibited PWM stimulated RF-PFC throughout the culture period, but suppression was maximal at the peak of the RF-PFC response. Suppressor factor was only effective at the initiation of cultures, suggesting that it inhibited early events in the PWM-stimulated RF-PFC response. Molecular weight determination of the suppressor factor by differential membrane fractionation suggested a m.w. range of 30,000 to 50,000, and chromatography on Sephadex G-100 showed a peak activity at an approximate m.w. of 32,000. Studies suggested the factor was not an interferon. Depletion of T lymphocytes by E rosetting and macrophages/monocytes by G-10 adherence did not affect the generation of suppressor factor. Depletion of T lymphocytes (OKT4, OKT8) and NK cells (Leu-11b) by antibody-dependent, complement-mediated cytotoxicity also did not affect the generation of suppressor factor. Depletion of B lymphocytes with OKB7 resulted in the generation of significantly less suppressor factor. Suppression produced by unstimulated purified B lymphocytes was approximately one-half that seen when B lymphocytes were stimulated with HAIgG. Differential membrane fractionation studies suggested that only HAIgG-stimulated B cell cultures contained peak activity in the 30,000 to 50,000 m.w. fraction. Supernatants from unstimulated purified T cells also generated suppression, which was approximately one-half of that seen with HAIgG-stimulated B cells, but no increase in suppressor activity was seen in T cell cultures after incubation with HAIgG. These studies demonstrate that HAIgG is capable of stimulating B lymphocytes to produce a lymphokine, suppressive B cell factor (SBF), which is capable of suppressing a polyclonal PFC response. SBF may be important in feedback control of human immunoglobulin production.     

Protamine inhibits platelet derived growth factor receptor activity but not epidermal growth factor activity

Protamine sulfate blocked 125I-PDGF binding to its specific physiological receptor on Swiss mouse 3T3 cells. Reduced 125I-PDGF binding in the presence of protamine sulfate correlated directly with a protamine sulfate dose-dependent decrease in the PDGF-dependent incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into 3T3 cells and a decreased PDGF-stimulated tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity in isolated membrane preparations of 3T3 cells. Protamine sulfate blocked 125I-PDGF binding to simian sarcoma virus transformed cells (SSV-NIH 3T3 and SSV-NP1 cells) and to nontransformed cells in a manner qualitatively identical to unlabelled PDGF. In contrast, protamine sulfate enhanced the specific binding of 125I-EGF by increasing the apparent number of EGF receptors on the cell surface. The increase in 125I-EGF receptor binding was not prevented by cycloheximide nor by actinomycin D. Protamine sulfate did not affect 125I-EGF binding to membranes from 3T3 cells or the EGF-stimulated 3T3 cell membrane tyrosine specific protein kinase activity, suggesting that protamine sulfate may have exposed a population of cryptic EGF receptors otherwise not accessible. Protamine sulfate was fractionated into four active fractions by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration columns; the half maximum inhibition concentration of 125I-PDGF binding to 3T3 cells of protamines I and II (MW approximately 11,000 daltons and 7,000 daltons, respectively) is approximately 0.4 microM. Protamine II (MW approximately 4,800 daltons) was equally active (half maximum inhibition concentration approximately 0.4 microM); protamine IV (MW approximately 3,300 daltons) was substantially less active (half maximum inhibition concentration approximately 2.8 microM). These investigations have extended previous observations that protamine sulfate is a potent inhibitor of PDGF binding and establish that protamine sulfate blocks PDGF binding at the physiological receptor, preventing PDGF initiated biological activities. Protamine sulfate can be used as a reagent to separate the influence of PDGF and EGF on cells with high specificity and has been used to demonstrate that the receptors on simian sarcoma virus transformed 3T3 cells qualitatively respond identically to protamine sulfate as to unlabelled PDGF and are likely identical to those on nontransformed 3T3 cells.     

Stimulation of mouse B cells by a factor that coisolates with T-cell proteoglycan

We have isolated a factor that copurifies with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan secreted by mouse splenocytes and some murine T-cell hybridomas. This factor will stimulate proliferation and plaque-forming cell differentiation of B lymphocytes from mouse spleens, even after T cells have been depleted (less than 2% Thy 1.2-bearing cells). Adherent macrophages enhance the activity of this factor, but their function can be replaced in macrophage- and T-cell-depleted populations by small concentrations of a protein mitogen from Salmonella typhimurium. The stimulatory fraction contains chondroitin sulfate, a major protein which has a molecular weight of 74,000 and a minor moiety at 50,000. Stimulatory activity of this material is destroyed by (i) boiling, (ii) mild alkali treatment, and (iii) protease digestion. It is unaffected by RNase and chondroitinase treatments, suggesting that the factor is a protein. Our data define a new B-cell stimulatory substance(s) and suggest that it may be associated with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan secreted by immune cells.     

Augmentation of prostaglandin and thromboxane production in vitro by monocytes exposed to histamine-induced suppressor factor (HSF)

A possible mechanism to explain the suppression of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation in vitro by histamine-stimulated mononuclear cells was investigated. In initial experiments, the inhibitory action of histamine-induced suppressor factor (HSF) on lymphocyte proliferation was documented to be reduced by the addition of indomethacin (1 μg/ml). Moreover, the addition of exogeneous PGE₂ (10^?7-10^?8 M) to mononuclear cell cultures reconstituted HSF activity in the presence of indomethacin. In order to ascertain the nature of the target cell responding to HSF, control and suppressor supernatants were incubated with human lymphocytes or monocytes (5 × 10⁶ cells/ml) for 24 hr. Following incubation, the supernatants were assayed for their content of prostaglandin E₂, F_2α, and thromboxane B₂. Monocytes (but not lymphocytes) incubated with supernatants containing HSF increased their production of prostaglandin E₂, F_2α, and thromboxane B₂ by 169, 53, and 49%, respectively. Suppressor supernatants were generated with histamine or an H-2 agonist (dimaprit) and chromatographed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The elution profiles for the factor(s) inducing suppression of lymphocyte proliferation (25–40,000 daltons) and augmenting PGE₂ production (25,000 daltons) overlapped but were not identical. Collectively, these data suggest that HSF-mediated inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation may occur in part through the augmented production of prostaglandins and/or thromboxane B₂ by human monocytes.     

Characterization of monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor (MNSF) with the use of a monoclonal antibody

The secretion of immunoglobulin (Ig) from cultured mononuclear cells by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation is inhibited by monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor (MNSF), a lymphokine produced by murine T cell hybridoma. In an attempt to develop a murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) with specific reactivity against MNSF, a cell fusion technique that incorporated immune murine splenocytes and HAT-sensitive murine myeloma cells was used. Cross-reactivity experiments confirmed that the MAb (MO6) does not bind to unrelated proteins such as bovine serum albumin, mouse IgG, and murine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). There are no effects when anti-IFN-gamma antibodies are used with MNSF. As far as biological activity is concerned, MO6 inhibits in vitro the activity of MNSF in terms of the Ig secretion from cultured lymphocytes. By using MO6, affinity chromatography and immunoblotting were performed. The MNSF on the SDS-PAGE showed a band with m.w. of approximately 70,000, indicating the formation of an aggregate in saline; but after treatment with 0.4 M pyridine-acetic acid buffer, separate bands of 24,000 and 16,000 daltons were evident. Therefore MO6 recognizes 70,000 and both 24,000 and 16,000 daltons. Thus we confirmed by using this MAb and affinity chromatography, the existence of human counterpart, human nonspecific suppressor factor (hNSF), in supernatant from concanavalin A-stimulated T cells. When hNSF was fractionated by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), the activity was found in a region corresponding to 70,000 daltons. However, when fractionated in pyridine-acetic acid buffer, hNSF activity was distributed in a slightly wider range of 15,000 to 30,000 daltons. Physicochemical analysis showed that the purified hNSF is resistant to either heating at 56 degrees C or to 2-mercaptoethanol treatment; however, it is labile to acidification at pH 2.0 and is also sensitive to protease treatment, the characteristics of which were similar to those of murine MNSF. Thus MO6 was confirmed to be a pertinent tool for isolation of hNSF, as well as for murine MNSF.     

Purification and properties of a host cell protein required for poliovirus replication in vitro

A host cell protein required for poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA replicase activity in vitro has been purified several thousand-fold from an uninfected HeLa cell postmitochondrial supernatant. A single protein of apparent Mr = approximately 67,000 daltons and pI 6.3 is associated with this "host factor" activity. Poly(U)-Sepharose chromatography of the template-dependent replicase isolated from poliovirus-infected cells results in the complete loss of replicase activity if a salt gradient is used to develop the column. Host factor elutes early in the salt gradient and restores replicase activity to protein fractions eluted later in the gradient. The host factor, estimated to be present at 50,000-100,000 copies/cell, interacts physically with replicase.     

Cell-mediated amplification and down regulation of cytotoxic immune response against autologous human cancer

The cytotoxic host immune response toward autologous human cancer may be regulated by the immunoregulatory network. Here we show that helper T cells, cloned from peripheral blood lymphocytes that were sensitized in vitro against an autologous human malignant paraganglioma, proliferated against and made interleukin 2 when cocultured with the tumor-associated antigen in the presence of autologous accessory cells. Furthermore, the helper cell clones amplified cytotoxic immune response by peripheral blood lymphocytes against the paraganglioma cells in coculture with the blood lymphocytes and the paraganglioma cells. An autologous T cell line bearing suppressor phenotype, established from a lymph node that had been infiltrated with the paraganglioma tumor cells, in contrast to the helper cells, selectively suppressed the cytotoxic immune response by the blood lymphocytes against the paraganglioma cells in identical coculture. These results, therefore, demonstrate the existence of cell-mediated immunologic regulations of the cytotoxic immune response (concurrent amplification and suppression in the same host) against an autologous human tumor.     

Production of human suppressor T cell hybridomas

To study human T cell suppression of immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis with homogeneous populations of immunoregulatory cells, human suppressor T cell hybridomas were prepared by somatic cell fusion of concanavalin A-activated peripheral blood T cells with hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-(HGPRT, EC 2.4.2.8) deficient human leukemic CEM T cells. After selection in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) medium and cloning by limiting cell dilution, two human T cell hybridomas were identified that produced 60 to 80% suppression of in vitro polyclonal immunoglobulin production when cocultured with pokeweed mitogen- (PWM) stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes. Further, one of the suppressor T cell hybridomas constitutively secreted a soluble suppressor factor(s) (TsF) of m.w. 70,000 to 85,000 daltons, which produced reversible noncytotoxic inhibition of lectin-activated B cell Ig production. In contrast, this TsF did not inhibit lectin- or antigen-induced T cell proliferation, nor did it interfere with the generation or effector function of cytotoxic T cells. Additional studies indicated that this Tsf acts directly on B cells or monocytes rather than indirectly modulating the activity of immunoregulatory T cells. In summary, these studies suggest that techniques of somatic cell fusion may provide a valuable approach to further study human immunoregulatory cell-cell interactions as well as provide a source of sufficient quantities of important lymphokines for further purification and characterization.     

Platelet derived growth factor(s) for a hormone-responsive rat mammary tumor cell line.

Mammary tumor cell growth factor(s) has been identified in extracts of platelets from both male and female rats, as well as in extracts prepared from pooled outdated human platelets. When assayed by the growth promotion of MTW9/PL rat mammary tumor cells in culture, platelet extracts alone were able to support growth 50--75% as well as whole serum. The mitogenic activity from crude human platelet lysates was shown to be trypsin sensitive, relatively stable to extremes of pH, labile to heat treatment at 70 degrees, non-dialysable, ammonium sulfate precipitable, not removed by 56 degrees charcoal treatment, and of apparent molecular weight of 30,000 to 50,000 daltons as estimated by G-100 Sephadex chromatography. The platelet derived mammary growth factor activity was not replaced or potentiated by thrombin or known hormones and growth factors such as prolactin, insulin, 17-beta-estradiol, progesterone, hydrocortisone, L-thyroxine, and mouse epidermal growth factor. The experimental report demonstrates that platelets are a rich source growth factor activity for rat epithelial mammary tumor cells, and that the activity appears to be a polypeptide(s) different from other mitogenic activities known to influence growth of mammary tissue.     

Spontaneous production of a suppressor factor by the human macrophage-like cell line U937. I. Suppression of interleukin 1, interleukin 2, and mitogen-induced blastogenesis in mouse thymocytes

The human macrophage-like cell line U937 spontaneously produced a nondialyzable factor that inhibited interleukin 1 (IL 1), interleukin 2 (IL 2), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced blastogenesis in mouse thymocytes. The suppression by U937 supernatant factor occurred independently of the concentration of IL 1 or PHA, indicating that it was noncompetitive. The U937 suppressor factor was not cytotoxic for thymocytes, nor did it affect the spontaneous proliferation of T lymphoblastoid cell lines and U937. Physicochemical characterization showed that the U937 suppressor factor was nondialyzable, partially inactivated by heat treatment (56 degrees C), ammonium sulfate (67% saturation) precipitable, sensitive to pH 2.5, and resistant to freeze-thawing. Molecular weight of the factor inhibiting co-mitogenic IL 1 activity was approximately 85,000, as estimated by gel filtration. The U937 cell line may provide a model for the study of mechanisms and mediators of immunosuppression by mononuclear phagocytes.     

Subunit studies of coupling factor 1 of bean chloroplasts.

A bean chloroplast coupling factor (CF1) with latent Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity was studied. Immunodiffusion of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) chloroplast and etioplast coupling factors and spinach coupling factor against antiserum to spinach coupling factor showed partial identity of the bean coupling factor with that of spinach. An immunoelectrophoretic comparison, under dissociating conditions, of bean leaf extracts and spinach extracts containing CF1 subunits (as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) gave identical results for both extracts. At least six distinct polypeptide species were found. The major species had molecular weights of 42 000, 59 000 and 63 000 daltons. Amino acid analysis of electrophoretically purified bean CF1 gave results similar to those published for spinach CF1.     

Induction of tumor growth inhibitory factor (TGIF) in human mononuclear cells by OK-432, a streptococcal preparation

Summary A tumor growth inhibitory factor (TGIF) was induced in the culture supernatant from mixed culture of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, in vitro. The activity generated in the supernatant increased in a time-dependent fashion and first appeared 6 h after the initiation of culture, reaching its maximum around 48 h. The TGIF was cytostatic against seven of ten human tumor targets, but not against three murine tumor targets. Tumor cell growth was inhibited by a transient contact, i.e., 1 h, with TGIF. The TGIF was produced by lymphocytes but not by monocytes, because the activity was usually enhanced by elimination of plastic-adherent cells from the original PBMC fraction. The TGIF was relatively stable against heating at 56° C for 30 min, but the activity was totally destroyed after heating at 70° C for 5 min. The molecular weight of TGIF was estimated to be about 43×10³ daltons by gel filtration. No interferon (IFN) activity was detected in the TGIF-positive fractions obtained by gel filtration, and the TGIF-positive fractions did not inhibit the growth of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-sensitive mouse L929 cells. The TGIF activity was not significantly affected in neutralizing tests using specific antibodies against human IFN and TNF. The OK-432 was administered i.p. for management of cancer patients with malignant ascites. Ascites-derived mononuclear cells (ASMC) were obtained before and 3 to 5 days after OK-432 injection. The ASMC obtained after the injection produced TGIF in vitro in the absence of OK-432; the preinjection ASMC showed no such production. A positive correlation was found between TGIF-producing activity by ASMC and the effect of OK-432 injection on ascites volume. These results indicate that TGIF is induced in mononuclear cells by OK-432 not only in vitro but also in vivo and plays an important role in inhibition of tumor growth in cancer patients.     

Immunoregulatory properties of human esophageal tumor extract.

Noncytotoxic aqueous extracts of esophageal tumors (TEx) inhibit the spontaneous uptake of 3H-thymidine by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM). TEx also inhibits mitogen- and antigen-induced PBM blastogenesis, mitogenesis, 3H-thymidine uptake, and 3H-leucine incorporation. Inhibition is reversible and is mediated by a heat-labile protein with a m.w. of approximately 70 to 80,000 daltons. Inhibitory activity is not due to trivial binding of mitogen or neucleotide by the inhibitor, nor is it entirely tumor specific since similar but quantitatively less activity is extractable from adjacent normal esophageal mucosa. Assorted cell surface membrane phenomena such as contact inhibition of in vitro endothelial cell proliferation, lymphocyte E rosette formation, and cap formation are unaffected by TEx. In contrast, immunoglobulin synthesis by pokeweed mitogen-stimulated PBM is enhanced by TEx. The potential importance of the local production of immunoregulatory agents like TEx in the immunologic control of tumor cell growth is discussed.     

Immunosuppressive factor(s) specific for L-glutamic acid50-L-tyrosine50 (GT). I. Production, characterization, and lack of H-2 restriction for activity in recipient strain.

The random synthetic copolymer of L-glutamic acid50-L-tyrosine50 (GT) fails to elicit a GT-specific antibody response in all inbred strains of mice tested. Preimmunization with GT specifically inhibits a GT-MBSA response in certain H2d,k,s, but not other, H-2a,b,q, nonresponder mice. This unresponsiveness is mediated by GT-specific suppressor T cells. Extracts prepared from lymphoid cells of GT-primed suppressor haplotype mice inhibit the development of primary GT-specific antibody responses to GT-MBSA in normal syngeneic mice. Nonsuppressor haplotype mice do not produce GT-specific suppressor factor. The GT-suppressive extract has affinity for antigen and a m.w. of less than 50,000 daltons, thus, resembling antigen-specific immunosuppressive factors already described. However, the GT-suppressive extract does not appear to have H-2 restrictions since it works across allogeneic barriers. Evidence is presented that two genes are required for factor-mediated suppression.     

Cell lines derived from human autorosette-forming cells with suppressive activity

Concanavalin-A-stimulated human T lymphocytes from healthy donors and from patients suffering from diverse immune disorders were fractionated into rosette-forming (R) and nonrosette-forming (NR) cells. The separation method is based upon the ability of the lymphocytes to bind autologous erythrocytes and form autorosettes. Long-term cultures of the R and NR subpopulations were established. The activity of the culture supernatants on the T cell proliferation of normal human phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocytes and of a murine, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent cytotoxic T cell line (CTLL) was investigated. Only the R cell line-derived supernatants from almost all patients tested evinced potent suppressor activity, those from healthy donors less so. The suppressive function was demonstrated not to be due to a cytotoxic effect since preincubation of the PHA-induced lymphocytes and CTLL cells with the factor did not diminish their proliferative capacity. Our study indicates the existence of a competitive relationship between the suppressor factor and IL-2. We found that inhibition of the proliferation decreased with the addition of increasing quantities of exogenous IL-2. We also observed that preincubating the CTLL cells with IL-2 prior to exposing them to the suppressive factor precludes inhibition of their proliferation. Phenotypic analysis of the suppressor cell line revealed that they were comprised of a T cell population which included OKT4+ and OKT8+ cells and that 99% of the cells formed autorosettes. Preliminary purification of the suppressive factor was performed by ultrafiltration and maximal suppression was exhibited by the fraction of less than 10,000 daltons. The development of suppressor cell lines from the unique population of autologous rosette-forming cells may be very helpful in studying the immunoregulatory properties of these cells and their suppressor activity.     

Immunosuppression during viral oncogenesis. V. Resistance to virus-induced immunosuppressive factor

Rabbits given malignant rabbit fibroma virus (MV) develop severe immunologic dysfunction during the course of infection. Splenic T lymphocytes from these rabbits elaborate a soluble non-specific immunosuppressive factor (virus-induced suppressor factor (VISF]. As malignant rabbit fibroma virus infection progresses, normal immunologic responsiveness returns. This recovery is multi-factorial and involves production by T lymphocytes of a soluble factor capable of antagonizing the activity of VISF. This soluble anti-suppressor factor (ASF) is not a generalized immunologic potentiator. Its sole apparent effect on immune function appears to be to antagonize the activity of VISF. The protective effects of ASF are evident only when suppressor factors and ASF are simultaneously present in culture. Pre-treatment of target cells with ASF-containing culture supernatants does not render them insensitive to the immunosuppressive effects of subsequent treatment with VISF. In addition, ASF appears to be directly responsible for antagonizing VISF activity. That is, ASF does not appear to initiate an anti-suppressive cascade by activating a population of cells that in turn generate secondary protective factors. ASF-producing cells do not bind Vicia villosa lectin, as do contra-suppressor cells described by others. In almost all of these features, the system we describe herein differs from systems in which other investigators have described factors that antagonize the effects of suppressor factors.     

Regulation of the immune response to tumor antigen. IV. Tumor antigen-specific suppressor factor(s) bear I-J determinants and induce suppressor T cells in vivo.

The nature and function of suppressor factor(s) elaborated by suppressor T cells in response to certain chemically induced tumors have been further defined. Thus, suppressor factor(s) specific for the S1509a methylchol-anthrene-induced fibrosarcoma have been shown to bear determinants encoded by the I-J subregion of the murine MHC since suppressive activity is removed by passage of the factor through an immunoadsorbent composed of anti-I-Jk coupled to Sepharose. No loss of activity was observed after passage of factor through control columns composed of normal mouse globulin. Furthermore, activity could be recovered from the relevant immunoadsorbent by elution with high salt. The administration of crude suppressor factor(s) to normal animals for 4 days resulted in the development of a population of suppressor cells that act in a manner analogous to the suppressor cell population used for production of factor. These factor-induced suppressor cells are T cells and exhibit an antigen specificity similar to that displayed by the tumor-induced suppressor cells. Thus, tumor-specific suppressor factor(s) bear I-J determinants and are capable of inducing the appearance of suppressor T cells in the nontumor-bearing host, which may then act in a specific manner to limit host responsiveness to tumor antigen.     

Characterization of guinea pig mitogenic factors. I. Evidence that antigen-induced mitogenic factor and mitogenic factor from mixed leukocyte cultures are distinct molecular entities.

Mitogenic factor from BCG-sensitized cells stimulated with antigen (PPD) was found to have a m.w. between 20 and 25,000 daltons and an isoelectric point of about 7.5. The blastogenic activity of this factor was not affected by L-fucose or heating at 56 degrees C for up to 1 hr. Mitogenic factor obtained from supernatants of allogeneic cell mixtures (MLC-MF) on the other hand, had a m.w. at 15 to 18,000 daltons and an isoelectric point of 6.5. The blastogenic activity of MLC-MF was inhibited by 0.1 M L-fucose. The factor was stable at 56 degrees C for 1 hr. An antibody prepared against MLC-MF inhibited the MLC reaction as well as the activity of MLC-MF on non-committed cells. This antibody, however, did not affect the response of lymphocytes to PHA or PPD and had no suppressive effect on PPD-MF. The antibody was not cytotoxic and its suppressive activity in the MLC response could not be absorbed out by lymphoid cells indicating that it is probably directed against a lymphocyte activation product (MLC-MF) rather than membrane antigens. The chemical and immunologic differences exhibited by PPD-MF and MLC-MF indicate that these two lymphokines are distinct molecular entities.     

Purification and characterization of bovine tissue factor

Tissue factor (tissue thromboplastin, factor III), an initiator of coagulation, has been purified 142,000-fold to homogeneity from bovine brain. The protein is an integral membrane glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 43,000 as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The apoprotein was first purified by extraction with Triton X-100 and repeated preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Antiserum was produced against a few micrograms of purified apoprotein and was used to construct an immunoadsorbent column. The column was then used for affinity purification of the apoprotein directly from the Triton X-100 extract, thereby significantly increasing the amount of purified protein produced. The purification scheme may be generally useful for the rapid and large scale purification of membrane proteins. Tryptic digestion of the apoprotein in Triton X-100 cleaved a peptide of approximately 3000 daltons without affecting the activity. The activity was recovered directly from stained SDS polyacrylamide gels, and the profile of recovered activity corresponded directly with the stained bands. The activity shifted along with the protein band following tryptic digestion, thus demonstrating that the protein observed on the gels is tissue factor. The coagulant activity of the purified apoprotein was reconstituted by the addition of phospholipid. Optimal activity was observed at phospholipid to protein ratios (w/w) greater than 450:1.     

Soluble mediators produced by a human continuous B-lymphoblastoid cell line

The Ebstein-Barr virus-transformed human lymphoblastoid cell line PGLC-33H releases a migration inhibitory factor (MIF) of MW ~ 20,000 daltons. This MIF may appear free in serum-free culture supernatants or may be associated with a carrier material as a complex of MW ~ 60,000 daltons, from which the MIF can be dissociated. The free form of MIF possesses, or is associated with a suppressor activity for pokeweed mitogen-induced immunoglobulin synthesis. This suppressor activity is heat (56 °C) and acid pH stable but 2-mercaptoethanol sensitive and cannot be attributed to α-interferon or lymphotoxin.