Identification and characterization of a non-interferon antileishmanial macrophage activating factor (antileishmanial MAF).

A non-interferon lymphokine elaborated from PHA and Con A-stimulated human T-cell hybridoma, T-CEMA, has been found to activate monocyte-derived macrophages for the intracellular killing of L. donovani (antileishmanial MAF). This T-cell hybridoma derived antileishmanial MAF which has an apparent mw of 65,000 and pI of 5.3-5.6, contains neither antiviral activity nor colony stimulating activity. Furthermore, antileishmanial MAF is not neutralized by anti-MIF, anti-IFN-gamma or anti-GM-CSF antibodies.