Human helper T cell factor(s) (ThF). II. Induction of IgG production in B lymphoblastoid cell lines and identification of T cell-replacing factor- (TRF) like factor(s).

IgG-PFC was induced in Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) by the addition of allogeneic T cells. T cells involved in the induction of IgG-PFC were shown to belong to the Leu 3a+/2a- T cell subset. Furthermore, partially purified soluble factors obtained from the culture supernatant of PPD-stimulated pleural T cells or PWM-stimulated tonsillar mononuclear cells was shown to induce IgG-PFC in LCL across the major histocompatibility complex barrier. The induction of IgG-PFC was observed only in surface IgG-positive LCL cell populations and was not accompanied by the increase in the number of LCL cells. The factors with such a TRF-like activity were found in two fractions corresponding to the m.w. range of 18,000 to 25,000 (22K fraction) and 28,000 to 38,000 (36K fraction) by gel filtration. Isoelectric focusing of these fractions revealed that TRF-like activity of both 22K and 36K fractions distributed in the pI range of 5.0 to 6.0, and both fractions were found to be devoid of TCGF activity. These results appear to indicate that the factors act on the B cells in terminal stages to trigger final differentiation to Ig-producing cells.