Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1977 May 1;145(5):1299–1315. doi: 10.1084/jem.145.5.1299

Regulation of B-cell proliferative responses to lipopolysaccharide by a subclass of thymus T cells

PMCID: PMC2180647  PMID: 300782

Abstract

When thymus cells which are unresponsive to LPS are combined with numbers of peripheral lymphoid cells giving minimal responses to LPS, synergistic incorporation of [3H]thymidine occurs. Synergy requires that both components proliferate, but most of the augmented response is the result of peripheral cell proliferation. The thymus cell is a T cell of variable density, low in thy-1.2 antigen, not concanavalin A responsive, present in the major thymus subpopulation, and may be from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-unresponsive strains. The peripheral cell is sensitive to anti-IgG or IgM plus complement (C'), resistant to anti- Thy-1.2 and C', exhibits adherence properties of B lymphocytes, and must be from LPS-responsive strains. Synergistic responses depend on critical thymus/peripheral cell ratios, inhibition occurring at high peripheral cell numbers. The data provide evidence that B-cell proliferative responses to LPS may be regulated by a subclass of thymus T cells.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1,023.0 KB).

Selected References

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

  1. Allison A. C., Davies A. J. Requirement of thymus-dependent lymphocytes for potentiation by adjuvants of antibody formation. Nature. 1971 Oct 1;233(5318):330–332. doi: 10.1038/233330a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Andersson J., Möller G., Sjöberg O. Selective induction of DNA synthesis in T and B lymphocytes. Cell Immunol. 1972 Aug;4(4):381–393. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(72)90040-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Andersson J., Sjöberg O., Möller G. Mitogens as probes for immunocyte activation and cellular cooperation. Transplant Rev. 1972;11:131–177. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1972.tb00048.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Armerding D., Katz D. H. Activation of T and B lymphocytes in vitro. I. Regulatory influence of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on specific T-cell helper function. J Exp Med. 1974 Jan 1;139(1):24–43. doi: 10.1084/jem.139.1.24. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Calderon J., Kiely J. M., Lefko J. L., Unanue E. R. The modulation of lymphocyte functions by molecules secreted by macrophages. I. Description and partial biochemical analysis. J Exp Med. 1975 Jul 1;142(1):151–164. doi: 10.1084/jem.142.1.151. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Di Sabato G., Chen D. M., Erickson J. W. Production by murine spleen cells of an activity stimulating the PHA-responsiveness of thymus lymphocytes. Cell Immunol. 1975 Jun;17(2):495–504. doi: 10.1016/s0008-8749(75)80053-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Forbes J. T., Nakao Y., Smith R. T. T mitogens trigger LPS responsiveness in mouse thymus cells. J Immunol. 1975 Mar;114(3):1004–1007. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gery I., Gershon R. K., Waksman B. H. Potentiation of the T-lymphocyte response to mitogens. I. The responding cell. J Exp Med. 1972 Jul 1;136(1):128–142. doi: 10.1084/jem.136.1.128. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gery I., Krüger J., Spiesel S. Z. Stimulation of B-lymphocytes by endotoxin. Reactions of thymus-deprived mice and karyotypic analysis of dividing cells in mice bearing T 6 T 6 thymus grafts. J Immunol. 1972 Apr;108(4):1088–1091. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gery I., Waksman B. H. Potentiation of the T-lymphocyte response to mitogens. II. The cellular source of potentiating mediator(s). J Exp Med. 1972 Jul 1;136(1):143–155. doi: 10.1084/jem.136.1.143. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Glode L. M., Scher I., Osborne B., Rosenstreich D. L. Cellular mechanism of endotoxin unresponsiveness in C3H/HeJ mice. J Immunol. 1976 Feb;116(2):454–461. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Handwerger B. S., Schwartz R. H. Separation of murine lymphoid cells using nylon wool columns. Recovery of the B cell-enriched population. Transplantation. 1974 Dec;18(6):544–548. doi: 10.1097/00007890-197412000-00013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hoffmann M. K., Weiss O., Koenig S., Hirst J. A., Oettgen H. F. Suppression and enhancement of the T cell-dependent production of antibody to SRBC in vitro by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. J Immunol. 1975 Feb;114(2 Pt 2):738–741. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Howe M. L., Cohen L. Lymphoid cell subpopulations. I. Synergy between lymph node cells and thymocytes in response to alloantigens and mitogens. J Immunol. 1975 Nov;115(5):1227–1232. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Julius M. H., Simpson E., Herzenberg L. A. A rapid method for the isolation of functional thymus-derived murine lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol. 1973 Oct;3(10):645–649. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830031011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kadish J. L., Basch R. S. Hematopoietic thymocyte precursors. I. Assay and kinetics of the appearance of progeny. J Exp Med. 1976 May 1;143(5):1082–1099. doi: 10.1084/jem.143.5.1082. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Konda S., Nakao Y., Smith R. T. Immunologic properties of mouse thymus cells. Identification of T cell functions within a minor, low-density subpopulation. J Exp Med. 1972 Dec 1;136(6):1461–1477. doi: 10.1084/jem.136.6.1461. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Konda S., Stockert E., Smith R. T. Immunologic properties of mouse thymus cells: membrane antigen patterns associated with various cell subpopulations. Cell Immunol. 1973 May;7(2):275–289. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(73)90250-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kyminski J. W., Smith R. T. Evidence for a B-cell -like helper function in mixed lymphocyte culture between immunocompetent thymus cells. J Exp Med. 1975 Feb 1;141(2):360–373. doi: 10.1084/jem.141.2.360. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lemke H., Coutinho A., Opitz H. G., Gronowicz E. Macrophages suppress direct B-cell activation by lipopolysaccharide. Scand J Immunol. 1975;4(7):707–720. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1975.tb02679.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Nakano M., Uchiyama T., Saito K. Adjuvant effect of endotoxin; antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in mice after transfer of syngeneic lymphoid cells treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide in vitro. J Immunol. 1973 Feb;110(2):408–413. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ness D. B., Smith S., Talcott J. A., Grumet F. C. T cell requirements for the expression of the lipopolysaccharide adjuvant effect in vivo: evidence for a T cell-dependent and a T cell-independent mode of action. Eur J Immunol. 1976 Sep;6(9):650–654. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830060911. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Newburger P. E., Hamaoka T., Katz D. H. Potentiation of helper T cell function in IgE antibody responses by bacterial lipolysaccharide (LPS). J Immunol. 1974 Sep;113(3):824–829. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Ozato K., Adler W. H., Ebert J. D. Synergism of bacterial lipopolysaccharides and concanavalin A in the activation of thymic lymphocytes. Cell Immunol. 1975 Jun;17(2):532–541. doi: 10.1016/s0008-8749(75)80057-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Peavy D. L., Adler W. H., Smith R. T. The mitogenic effects of endotoxin and staphylococcal enterotoxin B on mouse spleen cells and human peripheral lymphocytes. J Immunol. 1970 Dec;105(6):1453–1458. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Peavy D. L., Shands J. W., Jr, Adler W. H., Smith R. T. Mitogenicity of bacterial endotoxins: characterization of the mitogenic principle. J Immunol. 1973 Aug;111(2):352–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Roelants G. E., Loor F., von Boehmer H., Sprent J., Hägg L. B., Mayor K. S., Rydén A. Five types of lymphocytes (Ig-theta-, Ig-theta+weak, Ig-theta+strong, Ig+theta- and Ig+theta+) characterized by double immunofluorescence and electrophoretic mobility. Organ distribution in normal and nude mice. Eur J Immunol. 1975 Feb;5(2):127–131. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830050211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Rosenstreich D. L., Nowotny A., Chused T., Mergenhagen S. E. In vitro transformation of mouse bone-marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes induced by the lipid component of endotoxin. Infect Immun. 1973 Sep;8(3):406–411. doi: 10.1128/iai.8.3.406-411.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Scheid M. P., Hoffmann M. K., Komuro K., Hämmerling U., Abbott J., Boyse E. A., Cohen G. H., Hooper J. A., Schulof R. S., Goldstein A. L. Differentiation of T cells induced by preparations from thymus and by nonthymic agents. J Exp Med. 1973 Oct 1;138(4):1027–1032. doi: 10.1084/jem.138.4.1027. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Schmidtke J. R., Najarian J. S. Synergistic effects on DNA synthesis of phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. J Immunol. 1975 Feb;114(2 Pt 2):742–746. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Shinohara N., Kern M. Differentiation of lymphoid cells: B cell as a direct target and T cell as a regulator in lipopolysaccharide-enhanced induction of immunoglobulin production. J Immunol. 1976 Jun;116(6):1607–1612. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Smith R. T. Specific recognition reactions at the cellular level in mouse lymphoreticular cell subpopulations. Transplant Rev. 1972;11:178–216. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1972.tb00049.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Sultzer B. M. Genetic analysis of lymphocyte activation by lipopolysaccharide Endotoxin. Infect Immun. 1976 Jun;13(6):1579–1584. doi: 10.1128/iai.13.6.1579-1584.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Takiguchi T., Adler W. H., Smith R. T. Identification of mouse thymus antigen recognition function in a minor, low-density, low-theta cell subpopulation. Cell Immunol. 1971 Aug;2(4):373–380. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(71)90072-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES