Antagonism of B lymphocyte mitogenesis by anti-immunoglobulin antibody.

Anti-mouse-immunoglobulin-antibodies (AMIg) were shown to suppress mitogenesis in B lymphocytes that were cultured with lipopolysaccharide, (LPS), or polymerized-flagellin, (POL). Preincubation of spleen cells with AMIg plus LPS has a greater suppressive effect on a subsequent mitogenic response to LPS than did preincubation with AMIg alone. Preincubation with LPS alone had, if anything, a slight enhancing effect. These experiments suggested that AMIg did not suppress mitogenesis by interference with the initial binding of the mitogen, but rather exerted a separated negative effect that occurred subsequent to, or in the process of, B cell-stimulation.