Immune Specific Production of Interferon by Human T Cells in Combined Macrophage-Lymphocyte Cultures in Response to Herpes Simplex Antigen

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 114; no. 1 Part 2; pp. 435 - 441
• Main Authors: Valle, Martti J, Bobrove, Arthur M, Strober, Samuel, Merigan, Thomas C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Assoc Immnol 01.01.1975
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antigens, Viral; Antilymphocyte Serum; Binding Sites, Antibody; Cell Separation; Cells, Cultured; Centrifugation, Density Gradient; Complement Fixation Tests; Erythrocytes - immunology; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Herpes Labialis - immunology; Humans; Immune Adherence Reaction; Immunologic Memory; Interferons - biosynthesis; Lectins; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Macrophages - immunology; Nylons; Sheep - immunology; Simplexvirus - immunology; Staining and Labeling; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Thymidine - metabolism; Tritium
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.114.1_Part_2.435

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes, highly enriched for T cells, were obtained by passing gravity-sedimented leukocytes through nylon wool columns. The eluted cells were cultured with autologous macrophages and the mixture was studied for its capacity to produce interferon in vitro in response to stimulation with herpes simplex virus antigen. The interferon produced by the combined macrophage-lymphocyte cultures was shown to depend upon the presence of T cells; elimination of these cells by treatment with an anti-T cell serum plus complement greatly diminished the amount of interferon produced. The memory for the immune-specific release of interferon also appeared to be carried by the T lymphocytes rather than the glass-adherent macrophages. Furthermore, the results suggest that under our conditions of culture immune-specific interferon originates from T cells.