HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hartmann, K.-U. Articles by Bokisch, V. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hartmann, K.-U. Articles by Bokisch, V. A.

Stimulation of Murine B Lymphocytes by Isolated C3b

Max-Planck-Institut für Virusforschung, Tübingen, Germany and Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, Calif. 92037

Abstract

Purified human C3b added to mouse lymphocyte suspensions triggers activation of B lymphocytes. Activation of up to 50% of the cells was detected by increased incorporation of ³H-thymidine, blast cell formation, and antibody secretion (polyclonal development of plaque-forming cells).

Activation was observed in suspensions of lymph node and spleen cells of all mouse strains tested, including DBA/2, BALB/c, C3H/HcJ and Nu/nu, the congenitally thymus deficient strain. Removal of the rapidly adhering or thymusderived cells did not reduce activation. Activation was dependent on the dose of added C3b, which was varied between 1 and 50 µg/0.5 ml culture, and was potentiated by the presence of fetal calf serum. Addition of soluble rabbit anti-C3 reduced the stimulatory activity of C3b, and Sepharose-bound anti-C3 removed the activity from the C3b solution. C3a or C3c did not activate the lymphoid cells, and addition of C3b inactivator (partially purified from human serum) strongly inhibited the stimulation.