Influence of lymphokines on the anti-TNP-Ficoll response of normal and X-linked B lymphocyte-defective mice.

Immunodeficient CBA/N and F1 hybrids of CBA/N X SJL or DBA/2Ha mice were induced to make an antibody response to TNP-Ficoll by i.v. injections of lymphokines together with the antigen. The best responses (up to 12,000 PFC/spleen on day 4) were obtained by repeated i.v. lymphokine injections on days 0, 1, 2, and 3. Lymphokines obtained from PHA-stimulated LBRM-33 cells were less effective than those in supernatants (SN) from cocultures of SJL lymph node and gamma-RCS lymphoma cells, although in each case 100 U IL 2 were given per injection. Similar SN injections caused two- to threefold increases in responses of nondefective F1 hybrids. Pretreatment with lymphokine before TNP-Ficoll injection had no effect. Additional injection of monoclonal anti-IgD decreased the effect of lymphokine. Responses to TNP-Ficoll of CBA/J spleen cells were enhanced in vitro by SN as shown previously. Although responses by CBA/N spleen cells to TNP-polyacrylamide were increased by SN, however, responses to TNP-Ficoll could not be obtained with spleen cells from the xid mice in vitro.