Membrane potential changes during mitogenic stimulation of mouse spleen lymphocytes.

By monitoring differences in accumulation of the lipophilic cation [(3)H]tetraphenylphosphonium in media containing low or high potassium concentrations [Lichtshtein, D., Kaback, H. R. & Blume, A. J. (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76, 650-654], the membrane potential of lymphocytes from various sources has been estimated. On the basis of this method, the potential of normal mouse spleen lymphocytes (T and B cells) is -65 +/- 2 mV (mean +/- SEM, interior negative). During the course of mitogenic stimulation by concanavalin A, lipopolysaccharide, or fetal calf serum, the membrane potential of murine spleen lymphocytes changes systematically according to the following pattern: (i) early depolarization lasting 2-3 hr, (ii) repolarization over the next 7 hr, and (iii) a final hyperpolarization phase during the last 24-48 hr. During repolarization and hyperpolarization, moreover, there is a direct correlation between the membrane potential and DNA synthesis, as judged by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. By using isolated T and B cells, it is observed that concanavalin A depolarizes T cells only, whereas lipopolysaccharide depolarizes B cells only. Thus, both mitogens exhibit the same specificity for depolarization as for mitogenic stimulation. On the basis of these observations, it is suggested that the transition of lymphocytes from a resting state to mitotic activity is initiated by depolarization of the plasma membrane.