Effect of mitogens on the maximum activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and glutaminase in rat mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes and splenocytes during the early period of culture.

1. The activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase were maintained in mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes during 4 hr of culture: the activity of glutaminase increased during this period of time. 2. In splenocytes, the activity of hexokinase decreased markedly during the 4 hr period, whereas those of lactate dehydrogenase and glutaminase remained constant, and that of citrate synthase increased dramatically. 3. In both mesenteric lymphocytes and splenocytes, addition of the T-cell mitogens, phytohaemagglutinin or concanavalin-A, to the culture medium caused decreases in the activities of both hexokinase and citrate synthase. 4. In contrast, these mitogens increased the activity of glutaminase in both cell types. 5. Addition of the B-cell mitogen, bacterial lipopolysaccharide, had little effect on hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase or citrate synthase but increased markedly that of glutaminase in mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes. 6. In splenocytes this mitogen prevented much of the decrease in hexokinase activity, increased the activities of citrate synthase and glutaminase but had little effect on that of lactate dehydrogenase.