Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 153, 365-374, Copyright © 1981 by Rockefeller University Press
Polyclonal activation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes by formaldehyde-fixed Salmonella paratyphi B. I. Immunoglobulin production without DNA synthesis
WY Chen, J Munoz, HH Fudenberg, E Tung and G Virella
A "new" polyclonal activator of human peripheral blood B cells,
formaldehyde-fixed Salmonella paratyphi B, is described. This bacterium
does not stimulate cell proliferation as measured by incorporation of
tritiated thymidine but does stimulate a subpopulation of B cells to
secrete large amounts of IgM, IgG, and IgA in 7-day cell cultures. The
immunoglobulins (Ig) produced by cells responding to S. paratyphi B are not
specific antibodies against the bacterial antigens. In comparison with
other B cell activators (pokeweed mitogen, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I,
and lipopolysaccharide), S. paratyphi B stimulation produced greater
amounts of IgM but less IgG than pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or S. aureus Cowan
I; lipopolysaccharide failed to stimulate significant Ig production on day
7 in most cases. In addition, the response to S. paratyphi apparently did
not require T cell collaboration. These results suggest that the B cell
subpopulation(s) responding to S. paratyphi B may be more differentiated B
cells than those responding to either PWM or S. aureus Cowan I. Peripheral
blood mononuclear cells from five patients with common variable
immunodeficiency without evidence of abnormal suppressor T cells or
monocytes failed to respond to S. paratyphi B, whereas cells from two of
the same patients responded well to S. aureus Cowan I and partially to PWM.
Thus, S. paratyphi B appears to be superior to other B cell activators for
studies of B cell function in normal and abnormal states.
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