Suppression of B-cell and T-cell responses by the prostaglandin-induced T-cell-derived suppressors (PITS)--III. Production of PITS beta factors from T-cell hybridomas.

Previous studies have shown that the prostaglandin-induced T-cell-derived suppressors (PITS) are actually a mixture of at least seven distinct factors. These factors may be reproducibly resolved by size-exclusion chromatography followed by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results are presented here which suggest that two T-lymphocyte hybridoma clones are capable of constitutive synthesis of three of these suppressor factors. Results show that clone Hyb-7SC2 produces factors which co-elute (by HPLC) with the PITS beta2 and PITS beta3 factors, while clone Hyb-9SC2 produces a factor which co-elutes with PITS beta1. These results suggest the possibility that the seven PITS beta factors are not the product of a single cell population.