Modulation of the adherence of human lymphocytes to measles-infected cells by prostaglandin E1: a differential effect on lymphocyte subpopulations.

Prostaglandins of the E series (PGE) may serve as important regulators of human immune responsiveness. The present study was designed to examine the possibility that PGE may effect human lymphocyte function by the modulation of surface receptors. The presence of surface binding sites on human lymphocytes for measles virus antigens was studied using a rosette adherence assay. We observed that the addition of PGE1 increased the proportion of measles-infected cells (Hela-Kll) with adherent lymphocytes (75% increase at 3 x 10(-6) M PGE1). PGE was observed to enhance the adherence of purified normal peripheral T cells (87%) and T lymphoid cells (Molt 3) (27%). In contrast, no significant change in normal peripheral B cell or B lymphoid cell (Raji) adherence was observed with the addition of PGE. These results are consistent with a selective modulation of surface measles virus binding sites by PGE1 on T and not B lymphoid cells.