Determination of B lymphocyte population using antibody-coated polyacrylamide beads

Amino Acid Oligomer Microspheres as Drug Delivery Systems. II. Oligomerization of NCAs Initiated with L-Tyrosine Methyl Ester

Oligomerizations of various amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) were prepared in the presence of L-tyrosine methyl ester (Tyr.Me). Tyr.Me was found to be an efficient initiator to form oligopeptides consisting of L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-phenylalanine, and L-tyrosine with random arrangements of amino acids. In acidic solution, the oligopeptides formed microspheres which were capable of encapsulating macromolecular drugs such as insulin and heparin. These microspheres were considered to be potential oral drug delivery systems.

Rapid determination of CSF lymphocyte subsets by labeled microspheres

A new, easy and quick method for the quantification of CSF T lymphocyte subpopulations (T4, T8, Leu-7) is reported. The lymphocytes form visible rosettes with plastic spheres to which monoclonal antibodies to human T cell have been coupled. The rosettes can be enumerated by light microscopy. The method is similar to erythrocyte rosette (E-rosette) techniques. The Quantigen (BioRad) T4/T8 assay was used for control. However, the method can also be used for the demonstration and identification of CSF T cell subpopulations by transmission and scanning electron microscopy.

Lymphocyte subpopulations of blood and alveolar lavage in blastomycosis

Patients with blastomycosis were found to have differing lymphocyte populations depending on the extent of disease manifestations and whether or not therapy had been started. Patients with recovering pulmonary blastomycosis who had been receiving antifungal treatment for at least four weeks had lymphocyte subpopulations no different from control donors. Patients with treated extrapulmonary blastomycosis had similar T helper (TH) to T suppressor (TS) ratios compared to recovering pulmonary patients and control subjects; this ratio gives a false impression because extrapulmonary blastomycosis patients had a reduced absolute number of lymphocytes with either marker. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, pulmonary blastomycosis patients who were clinically improved while receiving antifungal therapy had fewer TH cells and a greater number of lymphocytes with the TS marker than did control subjects. Patients with pulmonary blastomycosis prior to therapy had a smaller TH/S ratio than the other groups in peripheral blood primarily due to a reduction in the circulating TH fraction in both absolute numbers of cells and in the percentage of total T lymphocytes. Pulmonary blastomycosis patients re-evaluated after at least four weeks of antifungal therapy had TH/S ratios that were similar to normal persons. This increase in TH lymphocytes corresponded to clinical improvement and in a temporal correlation to that described for the development of specific immunity in this illness.

Differences in the binding, internalization and catabolism of low-density lipoprotein between normal human T and B lymphocytes

Studies in human peripheral blood B and T lymphocytes show that high-affinity binding of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to the cell surface receptor and the kinetics of binding are comparable between B and T lymphocytes, but the internalization of receptor-bound LDL in B cells appears deficient. Yet, the fraction of internalized LDL degraded by both B and T lymphocytes is of similar magnitude. Moreover, the lysosomal acid cholesterol ester hydrolase and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activities in B cell were about one-third of those in T lymphocytes. These data suggest deficient LDL catabolism in B lymphocytes relative to that in T lymphocytes.

Requirement of B lymphocytes in local adoptive transfer of experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) by lymph node cells

The necessity of T lymphocytes in local adoptive transfer of experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) is an established fact. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the participation of B lymphocytes in the local transfer system of EAO. The capacity of purified lymph node T and B cells to transfer EAO was compared. Donor strain 13 guinea pigs were sensitized with testicular antigen and complete Freund's adjuvant. We then injected 1 X 10(8) cells just under the tunica albuginea of the testis of a syngeneic recipient. The recipients were killed 5 days after cell transfer. Nylon-wool nonadherent T cells alone produced only minimal lesions, but could induce more severe mononuclear lesions with the addition of syngeneic, normal macrophages. In contrast, B-cell enriched populations either alone or combined with a small number of macrophages, were able to transfer extensive lesions. In the combined transfer of immune T and immune B cells the severity of transferred lesions was dependent upon the number of B cells. These results suggest that cooperative interactions among T cells, B cells, and macrophages are involved in the generation of transferred testicular lesions, with emphasis on the participation of B cells.

Detection of platelet-associated IgG in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura using antibody-coated polyacrylamide beads

Platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG) was detected by means of anti-human IgG coated polyacrylamide beads ("Immunobeads") technique in 32 patients with chronic ITP. Both a direct test (with in vivo sensitized platelets) and an indirect test (with in vitro loaded platelets) were carried out. The percent of rosette forming beads was both in the direct test (41.2%) and in the indirect test (32.6%) significantly higher in the cases of chronic ITP patients than in the controls (2.5% and 3.2%, respectively). These results confirm the diagnostic value of this new, relatively simple and rapid method in routine clinical practice.

Adoptive transfer of suppression of experimental allergic orchitis with lymphoid cells from antigen-pretreated guinea pigs

The injection of lymph node cells or spleen cells, obtained from strain 13 guinea pigs rendered unresponsive to experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) by pretreatment with testicular antigen (TA) in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, into normal syngeneic recipients markedly prevented the development of EAO, especially of the interstitial inflammatory cell response, which was expected to occur 2 weeks following orchitogenic challenge with TA in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). The suppressive effect of thymus cells from the same donors was much less prominent. The inhibition of EAO by suppressor cells was specific for the relevant antigen TA. In such EAO-suppressed animals delayed skin reaction to TA was suppressed, whereas antisperm antibody formation was not impaired. The active suppressor cells residing in the lymph nodes had characteristics of T lymphocytes, in that they did not adhere to the plastic dish surface and nylon wool and in that they formed rosettes with rabbit erythrocytes. B lymphocytes from the same animals did not have detectable suppressive properties. Lymph node cells from protected donors that had been treated with a single dose of cyclophosphamide (CY) 3 days before cell transfer were unable to transfer unresponsiveness to EAO. The results suggest that the immune prevention against EAO is explainable at least in part by the generation of CY-sensitive suppressor T lymphocytes with the capacity of inhibiting development of effector T cells after antigenic stimulation and that suppressor cells that mediated unresponsiveness to EAO may also regulate the cellular hypersensitivity to TA.

Preparation of microspheres of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and its derivatives as carriers for immobilized proteins

Microspheres of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and its derivatives have been prepared. The diameter can be varied in the range from 0.5 to 5 micron. Proteins were immobilized on the microspheres by various processes. The maximum amount of covalently immobilized gamma-globulin on the microspheres was found to be about 6 mg/m2. It was shown that dyed microspheres with a diameter of 2-4 micron are applicable to immunological agglutination tests on a microplate as carrier particles substituting for red blood cells.

Antigen-presenting capacity of guinea pig B lymphocytes in T cell proliferative response in vitro

The capacity of normal (unprimed) B cells and keyhole-limpet-hemocyanin(KLH)-primed B cells to present the antigen KLH to KLH-primed T cells in the guinea pig was examined with in vitro assay of lymphocyte proliferative response. Antigen-pulsed B-lymphocyte population, extensively devoid of macrophages (M phi), induced the proliferative response of KLH-primed T lymphocytes, although less effectively than the peritoneal M phi. The antigen presentation was antigen-specific. There was no substantial difference between the magnitude of T-cell response induced by KLH-primed B-cell population and that stimulated by unprimed, normal B-cell population. The antigen-presenting capacity of the B-cell population was abrogated by pretreatment with anti-guinea pig immunoglobulin (Ig) or anti-I-region-associated (Ia) antigen antiserum and complement, whereas it was not affected with anti-guinea pig M phi antiserum and complement. From studies using strain 2 and strain 13 guinea pigs, histocompatibility requirement between antigen-pulsed B cells and antigen-reactive T cells was suggested: B lymphocytes, as well as M phi, did elicit proliferative response to specific antigen, KLH or purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD), in syngeneic, but not in allogeneic, T cells. These results suggest that the Ia-positive, surface-Ig-bearing guinea-pig B lymphocytes - not only KLH-primed B cells but also unprimed B cells - are capable of presenting antigen to primed T cells in a major histocompatibility complex(MHC)-restricted fashion.

Presence of cells in B-cell lineage in mixed (GEMM) colonies from murine marrow cells

Recent progress in clonal cell culture techniques makes it possible to detect pluripotent hemopoietic precursors from murine marrow cells. The precursors can proliferate, differentiate and form mixed colonies containing erythroblasts, granulocytes, macrophages and often megakaryocytes in viscid culture medium. In the present investigation, the presence of cells of B-cell lineage in mixed colonies was investigated. Experiments on colonies containing cIgM, cIgG, sIgM and sIgG bearing cells using goat IgG fluorescein-conjugated anti-mouse IgM, goat F(ab')2 fraction fluorescein-conjugated anti-mouse IgG and immunobeads revealed the presence of cytoplasmic IgM bearing cells in 47% of the colonies and surface IgM bearing cells in 74-84% of the colonies. Mixed colonies, however, did not contain either cIgG bearing cells or sIgG bearing cells. The results may indicate that some CFU-MIX proliferate and differentiate along B-cell lineage to sIgM or cIgM bearing cells in vitro.

Lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cell responses during cytomegalovirus mononucleosis

Cell-mediated immunity in seven patients with cytomegalovirus mononucleosis was assessed by monoclonal antibody to lymphocyte subsets, lymphocyte blastogenesis, and natural killer cell activity. The patients had decreased ratios of helper (Leu 3a) to suppressor-cytotoxic (Leu 2a) T cells as compared with normal donors. Leu 2a+ T cells from the patients were uniquely sensitive to overnight culturing, which resulted in a 2.6-fold increase in the helper/suppressor cell ratio and the appearance of an unusual third Leu 1+ 2a- 3a- T cell subset. This correlated directly with enhanced blastogenesis to concanavalin A after preculture. Base-line and interferon-boosted natural killer cell responses versus K562 cell targets during cytomegalovirus mononucleosis did not differ from those of normal donors. This suggests that certain cellular immune functions are depressed during cytomegalovirus mononucleosis in correlation with the emergence of a culture-sensitive subset of suppressor T cells. In contrast, cytotoxic lymphocytes appear to function normally and may aid in the resolution of the illness.

Characteristics of the cellular composition, especially the lymphocyte sub-populations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis

The pathogenesis of summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which often occurs in Japan, was examined by analysing the cell profile, especially the lymphocyte sub-populations, of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from these patients: twenty-two normal volunteers and fourteen patients with localized lung cancer as controls. Lymphocyte sub-populations were determined by the micro-testplate method. In the bronchial fluid of the summer hypersensitivity groups, the total cell number was much higher (five to ten times) than in the control groups, and the percentage of lymphocytes reached 84.2 +/- 5.1% (mean +/- s.e. mean); the percentage of T lymphocytes was significantly increased (95.6 +/- 1.0%), but that of B lymphocytes (3.2 +/- 0.6%) was similar to that of the control groups, though the absolute numbers of B and T lymphocytes were higher than in the control groups. In the peripheral blood of the summer hypersensitivity group, the percentage of B lymphocytes was significantly higher than that found in the normal volunteers, but that of T lymphocytes was not increased. Cellular changes in bronchial fluid were more evident than changes seen by X-ray examination and are considered to be a good parameter of the severity of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It is considered that cell-mediated immunity as well as the Arthus reaction may be intimately related to the pathogenesis of summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Polymer microbeads bound to C3 fragments for detecting and labeling cells with C3 receptors

Monodisperse microbeads (mbs) of a hydrophilic polymer with diameters of 4 microns and 0.2 micron were prepared. To these mbs, IgM or a sugar was bound covalently, and then the mbs were treated with fresh human or mouse serum. This led to the activation of complement and to the binding of C3 fragments to the mbs. C3 fragments fixed on mbs varied with the type of immobilized substance on the mbs and the incubation time of the mbs with fresh serum. Three kinds of mbs binding C3 fragments were prepared: mbs binding C3b, C3bi and C3d (C3hu-mbs); the ones binding C3bi and C3d (C3mu-mbs); and the ones binding only C3b (C3bhu-mbs). They formed rosettes with cells which had the corresponding receptor. When lymphocytes were incubated with C3hu- or C3bhu-mbs with a diameter of 0.2 micron, cap formation of each receptor was observed under a microscope. Once prepared, C3hu-, C3mu- and C3bhu-mbs were stable for more than 4 months.

On the differential suppression of cholesterol synthesis by low density lipoprotein in B and T lymphocytes

Cholesterol synthesis and its suppression by low density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured in purified B and T peripheral blood lymphocytes. After preincubation for 53 h in lipoprotein-deficient serum, both B and T cells exhibited increased cholesterol synthesis as compared with synthesis measured in cells immediately after their isolation from blood and without preincubation with lipoprotein-deficient serum. The magnitude of this increase was far greater in T cells in comparison with that in B cells in all subjects studied. But, whereas there was an immediate and progressive suppression of cholesterol synthesis in lipoprotein-deficient serum-incubated T cells as the concentration of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the medium was increased, synthesis in lipoprotein-deficient serum-incubated B cells remained insensitive to the presence of low density lipoprotein in the medium. Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity was observed also to follow a similar pattern in both cell types. These observations may imply that one or more events, including binding of low density lipoprotein to its receptor, internalization and degradation of low density lipoprotein receptor complex finally leading to suppression of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity and cholesterol synthesis, fail to take place in B cells.

Binding of bacteria from the genus Brucella to human B lymphocytes

In previous studies, we have shown that various lymphocyte subpopulations bind different strains of bacteria of different genera and species. Among these bacteria was a strain of Brucella melitensis which bound to all human B lymphocytes. To determine whether the binding of B. melitensis to human B lymphocytes was strain, species, or genus characteristic, we tested the binding of B. melitensis, Brucella abortus, Brucella ovis, Brucella suis, Brucella canis and Brucella neotomae to human normal and leukemic B lymphocytes. The binding of different Brucella species to B lymphocytes was determined by single- and double-labeling experiments in which a strain of Escherichia coli, coated with anti-light chain antibodies, was used as a marker for B cells. As in previous experiments, we found that B. melitensis and antibody-coated E. coli bound to the same cells. Also, we found that all the other species of bacteria tested bound to the B lymphocytes, normal or leukemic. B. ovis and B. neotomae, which are not human pathogens, bound to fewer B lymphocytes than did the human pathogens B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, and B. canis. Furthermore, we found that the quality of rosettes formed by the nonpathogenic bacteria with the lymphocytes, i.e., the number of bacteria per lymphocytes, was lower than that of pathogenic Brucella species. We conclude that all of the Brucella species tested have the ability to bind to human B lymphocytes, but that only those which are human pathogens bind firmly to all B lymphocytes and may be used as reliable markers for these cells. We also suggest that the binding of Brucella species to B lymphocytes may have some bearing on the pathogenesis of brucellosis in humans.

The mixed antiglobulin rosetting reaction (MARR) and the direct antiglobulin rosetting reaction (DARR): sensitive tests for demonstration of immunoglobulin-bearing B lymphocytes

The technology of the mixed antiglobulin rosetting (MARR) and the direct antiglobulin rosetting reaction (DARR) is reviewed. These tests have been found to be more sensitive than the standard direct immunofluorescence (DIF) method for delineation of Ig-bearing B lymphocytes and to have practical advantages over DIF. Further, with these rosette tests, an important B lymphocyte population has been identified which is Ig-negative by DIF and functionally quite different from typical DIF-positive B lymphocytes but which expresses a low density of surface membrane Ig that is detectable by the MARR and the DARR.

Detection of platelet antibody using rosette technique with anti-IgG antibody-coated polyacrylamide gel: a preliminary report

Paraformaldehyde-fixed platelets from normal donors were used for detection of antibody to platelet by in vitro sensitization (indirect method) utilizing rabbit anti-human IgG heavy chain specific antibody-coated polyacrylamide gels (Immunobeads). The sensitized platelets formed rosettes with Immunobeads and the positive rosette count was over 30%, while control showed less than 8% when normal sera were used. This method was also applicable for detecting antibody-sensitized platelets in vivo (direct method) in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia. This method is simple, rapid and reproducible for clinical use. Direct and indirect immunofluorescent antibody tests and a blocking test with anti-human serum also supported the results of Immunobead rosetting technique.

Peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with herpes genitalis

Peripheral blood samples from 52 women including 16 with herpes genitalis and 36 healthy persons were studied to enumerate subpopulations of lymphocytes. T lymphocyte counts were done by SRBC rosette tests and B lymphocytes by immunobead rosette tests using antibody-coated polyacrylamide beads. It was found that the mean percentage of "active T lymphocytes was significantly less in the patients with herpes genitalis than in the controls (herpes genitalis; 13.9 +/- 6.8%, controls; 25.0 +/- 8.3%, p less than 0.001). No difference was noted in the percentage of "total" T lymphocytes, "total" B lymphocytes and subsets of B lymphocytes (IgG-, IgA- and IgM-bearing lymphocytes) between the patients and controls. The present findings suggest that cell-mediated immune function associated with "active" T lymphocytes is suppressed in patients with herpes genitalis.

ADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins in normal lymphocytes and in low-grade malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells

Normal lymphocytes and lymphocytes from patients with low-grade malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma were isolated from blood by a Percoll gradient procedure. Absence of cell proliferation in both cell types was indicated by very low [3H]thymidine incorporation rates. Determination of endogenous protein-bound single ADP-ribose residues by a radioimmunoassay revealed that the leukemic cells had 2.5-times lower levels of the NH2OH-sensitive and a 4-fold lower amount of NH2OH-resistant ADP-ribose . protein conjugate subfractions, respectively, than normal lymphocytes. By contrast, "total" ADP-ribose transferase activity, as measured in homogenates or permeabilized cells in the presence of DNase, was two-times higher in leukemic cells, whereas activity determined in permeabilized cells in the absence of added DNase was practically identical in both cell types. The apparent discrepancy between ADP-ribose transferase activity and endogenous levels of protein-bound single ADP-ribose residues may be explained in part by an enzyme inhibitor present in normal human lymphocytes. NAD + NADH levels were decreased 2.5-fold in the leukemic cells. This decrease, however, does not explain the reduced levels of mono(ADP-ribose) . protein conjugates since the ratio of protein-bound single ADP-ribose residues to NAD is distinctly different in leukemic lymphocytes compared to normal lymphocytes.

Alteration of early T lymphocyte count in patients with herpes genitalis

Peripheral blood samples from 52 women, including 16 with herpes genitalis and 36 healthy persons, were studied to enumerate subpopulations of lymphocytes. It was found that the mean percentage of 'active' T lymphocytes was significantly less in the patients with herpes genitalis than in the controls.

A quantitative assay for low levels of IgM by solid-phase immunofluorescence

A quantitative immunofluorescent assay capable of detecting between 15 and 1450 ng of IgM on a strictly linear standard curve has been developed. The assay system is unique in that in vitro biosynthesized polyclonal IgM in culture supernatants can be quantitated with a minimal quantity of supernatant. Interference created by lectins and bead-surface interactions have been analyzed. This easily operated assay has been validated and is reliable. A very important feature of the system is the considerable cost reduction in comparsion with radiometric techniques.

A method for preservation of lymphocyte rosettes in agarose

A simple, reproducible method for preservation of lymphocyte rosettes in agarose-gel as supporting medium had been developed. The method allows many test samples to be stored and examined under similar conditions, and rosette-forming cells to be identified by the morphologic features.

Anti-kappa/lambda immunobead for detection of human B lymphocytes

Several methods were compared for quantitating the B lymphocytes in human peripheral blood. RBC rosette assays including sheep and bovine red blood cells, and immunobead rosette assays including beads coated with anti-kappalambda and trivalent anti-GAM antibodies respectively were investigated. The anti-kappalambda bead assay proved to be simpler, faster, higher in reproducibility, and appeared to be more accurate than any of the other assays.