Amplification of the polyclonal activation of human T cells. I. Null-cell products promote the polyclonal proliferation of T cells.

Synergy can be observed in the proliferative response to mitogens of cultures containing human T and Null cells when compared with those containing only highly purified cells of those two types. This synergy was analysed (i) by evaluation of the proliferative response at each step of the purification process leading to separation of T and Null cells; (ii) by back-mixing T and Nul cells at different rations; and (iii) by evaluation of the proliferative response of free suspension cultures of T cells overlaying a semi-solid layer containing Null cells, or of free suspension cultures of Null cells over a semi-solid culture layer of T cells. The following conclusions were reached: (i) purified Null cells are unresponsive to mitogen when cultured alone or in the presence of diffusible T-cell products; (ii) the T cells are less responsive when cultured alone than in the presence of Null cells or diffusible Null cell products. Thus the synergistic effect observed between T and Null cells is not due to the promotion of Null-cell proliferation by T -cell products but can be accounted for by diffusible Null-cell products enhancing the process of T lymphocyte activation by mitogens.