Production of B cell growth factor by normal human B cells

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 136; no. 12; pp. 4542 - 4547
• Main Authors: Jurgensen, CH, Ambrus, JL, Jr, Fauci, AS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Assoc Immnol 15.06.1986; American Association of Immunologists
• Subjects: Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Separation; Cell-Free System; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Growth Substances - analysis; Growth Substances - biosynthesis; Growth Substances - isolation & purification; Humans; Immunobiology; Immunosorbent Techniques; Interleukin-4; Isoelectric Focusing; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphokines - analysis; Lymphokines - biosynthesis; Lymphokines - isolation & purification; Lymphokines, interleukins ( function, expression); Molecular Weight; Regulatory factors and their cellular receptors; Staphylococcal Protein A - pharmacology; Human; Cell culture; Biosynthesis; B-Lymphocyte; Lymphokine; Normal; Growth factor
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.136.12.4542

Although it has been demonstrated that malignant human B cell lines are capable of producing B cell growth factor (BCGF), production of BCGF by normal B cells has not been shown. In this study, we demonstrate BCGF production by normal B cells, achieved by using human peripheral blood B cells prepared by a positive selection technique and stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) for 12 hr. SAC was removed from the supernatants by anti-SAC-coupled Sepharose. Supernatants absorbed with this antibody were functionally free of SAC, as demonstrated by their inability to activate resting B cells. B cells stimulated with SAC for 12 hr produced BCGF activity that was generally unmeasurable in supernatants by 36 hr. Characterization of BCGF produced by SAC-stimulated B cells revealed a m.w. of 32,000 by high-performance liquid chromatography sieving and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; this BCGF was found to have an isoelectric point of 6.7. Furthermore, this BCGF lacked interleukin 1, interleukin 2, interferon, and B cell differentiation factor activity. This observation that BCGF can be produced by normal human B cells is significant because it demonstrates for the first time that normal B cells have the ability to provide their own growth factors or the growth factors for other B cells.