Long-term growth of human WGA-activated T-lymphocytes without feeder cells.

Human wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-activated T-lymphocytes from either peripheral blood or spleen could be propagated for several weeks in the presence of culture supernatants from human mononuclear cells obtained after a 1-day stimulation with WGA and after a subsequent 3-day culture without mitogen. The continuous T-cell growth in this culture system required alternate exposition of the cells to the above supernatants, both with and without WGA, but proceeded in the absence of feeder cells. After 3 weeks of propagation most cells displayed the CD4+ phenotype, expressed IL2 receptors, and responded to PHA, Con A, and WGA. It has been shown that WGA-activated T-cells could be cloned by limiting dilution and propagated using the above culture system.