Immune interferon induction by T-cell mitogens involves different T-cell subpopulations.

Recent studies of mitogen-induced DNA synthesis in cells from various lymphoid tissues indicate that certain mitogens may selectively activate specific T-cell subpopulations. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) optimally stimulates thymocytes and spleen cells (presumed T1 cells) and phytohemagglutinin P (PHA) optimally stimulates lymph node and spleen cells (presumed T2 cells); concanavalin A (Con A) stimulates cells from all these sources well. To determine further the specificity of mitogens for T-cell subpopulations, immune interferon (IIF) production was studied in spleen cells from mice treated in vivo with cortisone acetate (CA), preferentially a T1-cell inactivator, and antithymocyte serum (ATS), preferentially a T2-cell inactivator. The effect of administering gallic acid (3,4,5 trihydroxy-benzoic acid) (GA) in vivo was also studied, since in vitro studies showed GA to be capable of blocking IIF production. Results indicate that SEA induces IIF primarily in T1 cells, PHA induces IIF primarily in T2 cells, and Con A induces IIF in both T1 and T2 cells. Furthermore, GA was shown to mimic the ability of CA to inactivate T1 cells selectively in vivo. The data indicate that more than one type of T-cell subpopulation is capable of producing IIF.