Properties of an inhibitor of DNA synthesis in supernatants of activated lymphocytes

Selective inhibition of DNA synthesis by a protein released from spleen cells

Spleen cells cultured release proteins into the culture medium, some of which shows both binding activity to single stranded DNA (ss-DNA) and inhibitory activity to 3H-thymidine incorporation into cells. The inhibitory protein of DNA synthesis was purified to near homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ss-DNA-cellulose affinity chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of the major band of this protein, as estimated by sodium dodecyl-sulfate gel electrophoresis, was approximately 14,000. The effect of the protein was compared with various cell lines and primary cell culture, and it was found that the protein strongly inhibited DNA synthesis of HeLa, L, and HEp2 cells, but only inhibited to a minor extent synthesis of Ehrlich cells and primary culture of mouse embryo.

A lymphokine-like factor isolated by deoxycholate from the membrane of human lymphocytes

1. Membranous protein fractions containing carbohydrates were solubilized from human tonsillar lymphocytes in the presence or basence of deoxycholate. The optimal conditions for the detergent treatment, high solubilized protein yield without cell disruption, temperature and time of the treatment and concentration of the detergent were elucidated. 2. The protein fractions inhibited both the mitogen-activated and the nonactivated DNA synthesis in human lymphocyte targets in vitro but did not affect the uptake of [3H]thymidine. The fractions had a slight effect on the amino acid incorporation into proteins and failed to influence the uptake of amino acids. 3. It is assumed that the investigated membranous proteins are lymphokine-like materials produced continuously by lymphocytes in vivo and are incorporated into the membrane of the cells.