Lymphoma models for B-cell activation and tolerance. IX. Efficient reversal of anti-Ig-mediated growth inhibition by an activated TH2 clone.

We have utilized several B-cell lymphomas that are growth inhibited by anti-Ig reagents as models for tolerance induction. In a previous communication, we demonstrated that the growth inhibition by anti-Ig can be partially prevented by the recombinant lymphokine, IL-4. In this paper, we report that complete protection of B lymphomas from anti-Ig was provided by a type 2 helper cell clone, D10.G4, when these T cells were activated by monoclonal anti-CD3. Conditioned medium from anti-CD3-stimulated D10.G4 cells also provided protection from anti-Ig. In contrast, little protection was observed with activated cells from a type 1 T-cell clone, A.E7. Furthermore, we show that combinations of IL-4 and tumor necrosis factors (both TNF alpha and TNF beta), as well as IL-4, effected partial protection by themselves and enhanced the activity of the other lymphokine if used in a pretreatment protocol. However, anti-cytokine antibodies were ineffective at reversing the T-cell-mediated protection. The possibility that direct T:B-cell contact mediates part of the protective signal is discussed.