Formation of adherent monolayers of murine lymphocytes in vitro: the use of serum-free medium and concanavalin A-coated surfaces to promote adherence

A bioreactor model of mouse tumor progression

The present study represents an investigation of a novel stirred bioreactor for culture of a transformed cell line under defined hydrodynamic conditions in vitro. Cell colonies of the EL-4 mouse lymphoma cell line grown for the first time in a rotating disc bioreactor (RDB), were observed to undergo changes in phenotype in comparison to standard, static flask cultures. RDB cultures, with or without agitation, promoted the formation of adherent EL-4 cell plaques that merged to form contiguous tumor-like masses in longer-term cultures, unlike the unattached spheroid aggregates of flask cultures. Plaques grown under agitated conditions were further altered in morphology and distribution in direct response to fluid mechanical stimuli. Plaque colonies growth in RDBs with or without agitation also exhibited significant increases in production of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and lactate, suggesting an inducible "Warburg effect." Increases in cell biomass in RDB cultures were no different to flask cultures, though a trend toward a marginal increase was observed at specific rotational speeds. The RDB may therefore be a suitable alternative method to study mechanisms of tumor progression and invasiveness in vitro, under more complex physicochemical conditions that may approximate natural tissue environments.

Two subsets of cloned T helper cells exhibit different activation requirements and characteristics

An anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody (mAb 211G7H) was generated against a T helper cell clone which specifically recognized type II collagen. Besides inhibiting the proliferative response of the immunizing T cell clone to type II collagen, mAb 211G7H (soluble form) also suppressed the antigen-induced proliferation of several other T cell clones which shared similar specificity for antigen and major histocompatibility complex with the immunizing T cell clone. On the other hand, mAb 211G7H did not inhibit the responses of clones exhibiting different antigenic specificities from the clonotype-positive T cell clones. It was also demonstrated that these clonotype-positive T cell clones responded differently to mAb 211G7H when it was immobilized. Based upon their proliferative responses to immobilized anti-clonotype 211G7H mAb, two subpopulations of T cell clones were defined. Collagen-specific T cell clones of the first group proliferated poorly when stimulated with immobilized anti-clonotype mAb, by contrast, T cell clones belonging to the second group proliferated well to immobilized mAb. Furthermore, upon stimulation with immobilized 211G7H mAb, the second subpopulation of cloned T cells produced both interleukin (IL) 2 and IL4, while the first group secreted IL2 but not IL4. The cloned T cells from the group which responded weakly to immobilized anti-clonotype mAb also mediated reduced proliferative responses to IL2 in the presence of immobilized 211G7H mAb. Finally, these two subsets of T cell clones were found to respond differently to other non-antigen stimuli such as IL4 and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Thus, from a panel of collagen-specific T cell helper clones which had similar receptor fine specificities, we have isolated two subsets of cloned T helper cells that displayed different activation requirements and lymphokine production.

Antigen-independent binding of rat immunoglobulins in a radioimmunoassay. Solutions to an unusual background problem

A high non-specific binding of immunoglobulins to plastic surfaces was noted with a number of rat sera, when tested in an indirect 125I-labeled protein-A assay for detection of cell-surface-bound rat immunoglobulins of various classes and IgG subclasses. This type of non-specific binding was found with all types of Ig. The degree of binding varied with the type of test plate used and fluctuated with time among sera drawn sequentially from the same donors. Coating test wells with fetal calf serum supplemented with BSA, gelatin or fibrinogen did not eliminate the reactions. The immunoglobulins bind directly to the polystyrene, and not to antigens present in fetal calf serum or autoantigens in rat serum. Two different approaches were used to eliminate the nonspecific reaction. When living cells were used as target antigens, exclusively cell-bound radioactivity was eluted with the non-ionic detergent Nonidet P40, which solubilizes the cell membrane without breaking the protein-A/rabbit IgG, rabbit IgG/rat Ig, or rat Ig/plastic interactions. When rat serum antibodies are tested on target antigens adsorbed on non-tissue culture grade plates, non-specific binding may be avoided by including 0.05% Tween 20 in the incubation mixture.