The effects of sodium metaperiodate on T and B lymphocytes.

The differential mitogenic response of T and B lymphocytes to sodium metaperiodate has been investigated. It was found that periodate treatment leads to lymphocyte stimulation in spleen cells from Balb/c mice but not in spleen cells from the congenitally athymic nu/nu mice. In addition, treatment of Balb/c spleen cells with anti-θ serum plus complement lowers the mitogenic response to periodate and to concanavalin A without affecting the response to lipopolysaccharide. These results suggest a requirement for the presence of T lymphocytes in the initiation of a response to periodate. Spleen cells from nude mice also react with periodate, and their ability to respond to B cell mitogens is impaired after treatment with the chemical reagent.