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A Human T-Independent B Lymphocyte Mitogen Extracted from Nocardia Opaca¹

From the Laboratorie d'Immunologie, I.N.S.E.R.M. U.80, Hôpital E. Herriot, 69374 Lyon, Cedex 2, France, Service d'Immunothérapie Expérimentale, Institut Pasteur—Paris et Institut de Biochimie, Orsay, France

Abstract

Nocardia water soluble mitogen (NWSM), a mitogen specific for mouse and rabbit B cells, activates blood, spleen, and tonsil lymphocytes from all the humans tested. Evidence is presented that it acts selectively on human B lymphocytes. B-enriched cells were recovered from anti-Ig-coated Sephadex columns or after elimination of E rosetteforming cells: they were able to incorporate tritiated thymidine when they were cultivated in the presence of NWSM whereas they were not activated by PWM. Conversely T-enriched suspensions did not respond to NWSM although they were able to be stimulated by PHA and PWM. Moreover, the response to NWSM remained unchanged after T cells had been killed by anti-HTLA serum and complement and disappeared after B cells had been killed by anti-HBLMA serum. After stimulation by NWSM, the number of direct plaque-forming cells to HRBC, LPS, and TNP was significantly increased, showing a polyclonal activation of human B lymphocytes. Since no evidence of T cell help for B cell activation has been found, NWSM thus appears to be a T-independent human B lymphocyte mitogen.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by I.N.S.E.R.M. Grant 74-5-027-01.

² Chargé de recherche I.N.S.E.R.M. Please address requests for reprints to: Jean Brochier, I.N.S.E.R.M. U.80 Hôpital E. Herriot, 69374 Lyon, Cedex 2, France.