Production of high titres of interferon-gamma by cells derived from short-term cultures of murine spleen leukocytes in T-cell growth factor-conditioned medium.

Short-term culture of activated murine spleen cells in T-cell growth factor-conditioned medium resulted in a cell population that produced high titres of interferon-gamma in response to the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A. Compared to interferon-gamma production by freshly isolated spleen cells in response to the same mitogen, titres were 10 to 20 times higher at all cell densities tested. Furthermore, the minimal cell density at which interferon-gamma production could be detected was significantly lower. The mitogen dose required for optimal interferon induction in this system was higher than in conventional spleen cell cultures.