Spontaneous lymphokine synthesis by human blood mononuclear cells

LYMPHOCYTES, after antigenic stimulation, may synthesise and release biologically active soluble factors other than antibodies. These mediators were termed lymphokines by Dumonde1, and the most extensively studied and best characterised are migration inhibitory factors which can inhibit the migration of macrophages or leukocytes: this is the property used for their in vitro bioassay. Apart from antigens, various other stimuli may trigger lymphokine synthesis by lymphocytes, for example, polyclonal mitogens2, anti-immunoglobulin or membrane Fc or C3-receptor reactions3,4. Furthermore, migration inhibitory activity has been found in the long term culture supernatants of some established lymph…

The mutagenicity of MCPA and its soil metabolites, chlorinated phenols, catechols and some widely used slimicides in Finland

Leukocyte chemotactic activity in cultures of unstimulated human lymphocytes.

We have shown earlier that unstimulated human lymphocytes in in vitro cultures produce migration inhibitory factor into the supernatant. The evidence of spontaneous lymphokine synthesis is strengthened further by this study, which demonstrates leukocyte chemotactic activity in these culture supernatants. The factor has a molecular weight of more than 5000 daltons, it resisted heating for 15 min at 100 degrees C, and showed maximum activity at dilution 1:4-1:8 of the supernatants.

Spontaneous lymphokine production by human B lymphocytes.

When human blood lymphocytes are cultured in vitro without any intended stimulus, they produce activities in the supernatant resembling lymphokine. This phenomenon was further investigated in the present study, where it has been demonstrated by physicochemical characterization and inhibition experiments that leukocyte migration inhibitory activity in the supernatants is due to leukocyte inhibitory factor (LIF). When T and B lymphocytes were purified by carbonyl iron and SRBC-rosette sedimentation, only B cells produced LIF and leukocyte chemotactic lymphokine(s) in subsequent cultures. B cells elaborated lymphokines without the help of T cells, the need for co-operation of monocytes was als…