The influence of autologous cell interactions on spontaneous and pokeweed mitogen-induced immunoglobulin production.

Both helper- and suppressor-T-cell activities are generated in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction and in pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-stimulated cultures. The addition of low numbers of irradiated non-T cells enhance while high numbers suppress spontaneous and PWM-stimulated IgG synthesis by autologous cells. Monocytes are the principal inducers of suppression and exert their influence within the first 24 hr of culture. Suppression in association with PWM stimulation is nonspecific in nature, T-cell mediated, partially radiosensitive, and resistant to hydrocortisone. Neither indomethacin nor dibutyryl cyclic AMP reverses monocyte-related suppression. These findings suggest that the outcome of in vitro Ig synthesis assays is critically dependent upon monocyte-T-cell interaction.