[Relations between concanavalin A binding and cell proliferation. Comparison of Lyt-1+ and Lyt-2+ lymphocyte subpopulations from the spleen of unstimulated mice and mixed lymphocyte culture].

Fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated concanavalin A (FITC-Con A) binding to negatively selected Lyt-1+ and Lyt-2+ spleen cells from nonstimulated mice and from mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) was tested in parallel with the effect of Con A on proliferation of these cell subpopulations. Lyt-2+ spleen cells from nonstimulated mice bound more FITC-Con A but proliferated in response to Con A to lesser extent than Lyt-1+ cells. allogeneically stimulated Lyt-1+ cells were inhibited by Con A and bound FITC-Con A in higher amounts and more specifically than Lyt-2+ cells. In syngeneic control culture, no remarkable differences in both Con A binding and Con A-induced proliferation of the lymphocyte subpopulations were found. The results are discussed in context of Lyt-phenotypic and functional differences between T cell subpopulations and seem to contradict a strict correlation between Con A binding and cell function.