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From the Division of Immunobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Wallenberglaboratory, Lilla Freskati, 104 05 Stockholm 50, Sweden
Abstract
Purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) was found to enhance the primary and secondary immune responses in vitro to heterologous red cells in spleen cells from non-BCG-immunized mice. Even though PPD is a bone marrow-derived (B) cell mitogen the enhanced cellular immune response was specific for the antigen added to the cultures. Secondary IgG responses in vitro to sheep red blood cells required a 100-fold lower concentration of PPD for maximal enhancement as compared to the primary IgM plaque-forming cell response.
The presence of adherent cells was required for the synergistic effect between antigen and PPD. The requirement for thymus-derived (T) cells could be partially overcome by PPD, but a full enhancing effect of PPD required the presence of both T cells and macrophages. It is likely that the antigen, but not the PPD, effect requires the presence of the helper cells.
PPD and red cell antigens cooperated in a synergistic rather than an additive fashion when enhancing the specific immune response. In comparison with other B cell mitogens, such as LPS and pneumococcal polysaccharide SIII, PPD was found to be the most effective agent in increasing the primary immune response in vitro.
The findings suggest that a nonspecific B cell mitogen and specific antigen can cooperate in increasing the magnitude of a specific immune response.
Footnotes
1 This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Wallenberg Foundation and the Jeansson Foundation.
2 Present address: Clinica Puerta de Hierro (Universidad Autonoma), Madrid, Spain.
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