Partial purification and characterization of a human lymphokine which induces antileishmanial activity in mouse macrophages.

Human blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro with concanavalin A secrete a lymphokine which activates mouse macrophages to kill Leishmania enriettii. Supernatants of cells cultivated for 1 day and for 2 days were analyzed for this activity after G-100 gel filtration and isoelectrofocusing. First day antileishmanial activity was found in a MW range of 23,000 with an isoelectric point of 3.6 to 4.0. Second day antileishmanial activity eluted in a peak in the MW range of 23,000 to 65,000 with an isoelectric point of 4.0 to 4.3. This activity could be completely separated from migration-inhibitory factor (MIF) after isoelectrofocusing in first day and in second day supernatants. Antileishmanial activity could be separated from interferon-gamma in first day, but not in second day supernatants.