Skip to main content
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1985 Oct;56(2):329–335.

Autocrine models of B-lymphocyte growth. I. Role of cell contact and soluble factors in T-independent B-cell responses.

J Gordon, G Guy, L Walker
PMCID: PMC1453676  PMID: 2997026

Abstract

The requirements for triggering human B cells to DNA synthesis by T-independent polyclonal activators were examined. Optimal S phase entry of purified resting B cells infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or confronted with killed particles of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan Strain I (SAC) required a high density of cells in culture. Experiments varying culture vessel geometry and culture volumes revealed that the initial limiting quantity was a soluble activity generated in the B-cell cultures. A parallel observation was noted in the requirements for the sustained growth of EBV-transformed lymphoblasts. Autostimulatory soluble factors harvested from such cultures were able to augment DNA synthesis in low density cultures of resting cells triggered by EBV or SAC. Below a critical cell number, however, soluble factors by themselves, were not sufficient either for supporting primary B-cell responses or for maintaining the proliferation of transformed lymphoblasts. By employing conditions which encouraged cell contact it was found that a second, non-harvestable factor requiring cell proximity for its action was also necessary to promote B-cell growth. The implications of these findings for autocrine and paracrine models of B-cell activation are discussed.

Full text

PDF
329

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bird A. G., Britton S., Ernberg I., Nilsson K. Characteristics of Epstein-Barr virus activation of human B lymphocytes. J Exp Med. 1981 Sep 1;154(3):832–839. doi: 10.1084/jem.154.3.832. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blazar B. A., Sutton L. M., Strome M. Self-stimulating growth factor production by B-cell lines derived from Burkitt's lymphomas and other lines transformed in vitro by Epstein-Barr virus. Cancer Res. 1983 Oct;43(10):4562–4568. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Corbel C., Melchers F. The synergism of accessory cells and of soluble alpha-factors derived from them in the activation of B cells to proliferation. Immunol Rev. 1984 Apr;78:51–74. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1984.tb00476.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Falkoff R. J., Muraguchi A., Hong J. X., Butler J. L., Dinarello C. A., Fauci A. S. The effects of interleukin 1 on human B cell activation and proliferation. J Immunol. 1983 Aug;131(2):801–805. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fothergill J. J., Wistar R., Jr, Woody J. N., Parker D. C. A mitogen for human B cells: anti-Ig coupled to polyacrylamide beads activates blood mononuclear cells independently of T cells. J Immunol. 1982 May;128(5):1945–1949. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gordon J., Ley S. C., Melamed M. D., Aman P., Hughes-Jones N. C. Soluble factor requirements for the autostimulatory growth of B lymphoblasts immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus. J Exp Med. 1984 May 1;159(5):1554–1559. doi: 10.1084/jem.159.5.1554. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gordon J., Ley S. C., Melamed M. D., English L. S., Hughes-Jones N. C. Immortalized B lymphocytes produce B-cell growth factor. Nature. 1984 Jul 12;310(5973):145–147. doi: 10.1038/310145a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Howard M., Paul W. E. Regulation of B-cell growth and differentiation by soluble factors. Annu Rev Immunol. 1983;1:307–333. doi: 10.1146/annurev.iy.01.040183.001515. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Melamed M. D., Gordon J., Ley S. J., Edgar D., Hughes-Jones N. C. Senescence of a human lymphoblastoid clone producing anti-Rhesus(D). Eur J Immunol. 1985 Jul;15(7):742–746. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830150720. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Meuer S. C., Hussey R. E., Cantrell D. A., Hodgdon J. C., Schlossman S. F., Smith K. A., Reinherz E. L. Triggering of the T3-Ti antigen-receptor complex results in clonal T-cell proliferation through an interleukin 2-dependent autocrine pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Mar;81(5):1509–1513. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.5.1509. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Muraguchi A., Kehrl J. H., Butler J. L., Fauci A. S. Sequential requirements for cell cycle progression of resting human B cells after activation by anti-Ig. J Immunol. 1984 Jan;132(1):176–180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rock K. L., Benacerraf B., Abbas A. K. Antigen presentation by hapten-specific B lymphocytes. I. Role of surface immunoglobulin receptors. J Exp Med. 1984 Oct 1;160(4):1102–1113. doi: 10.1084/jem.160.4.1102. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Scala G., Kuang Y. D., Hall R. E., Muchmore A. V., Oppenheim J. J. Accessory cell function of human B cells. I. Production of both interleukin 1-like activity and an interleukin 1 inhibitory factor by an EBV-transformed human B cell line. J Exp Med. 1984 Jun 1;159(6):1637–1652. doi: 10.1084/jem.159.6.1637. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Yoshizaki K., Nakagawa T., Fukunaga K., Kaieda T., Maruyama S., Kishimoto S., Yamamura Y., Kishimoto T. Characterization of human B cell growth factor (BCGF) from cloned T cells or mitogen-stimulated T cells. J Immunol. 1983 Mar;130(3):1241–1246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES