Human lymphoblastoid cells in culture replicate immune information carried by xenogeneic RNA.

Immune RNA is obtained from lymphoid organs of immunized animals and is reputed to transfer immunological information. Human lymphoblastoid cells in culture, after incubation with sheep Immune RNA produce RNA (Ic-RNA) which carries the same immunological information as the inducing sheep preparation. This Ic-RNA produced in tissue culture is capable of converting 'naive' human lymphocytes to cytotoxic effector cells against tumour target cells, to the same extent as the Is-RNA preparation used for induction of the cell line. The sheep Immune RNA information is present and can be recovered from the lymphoblastoid cells for at least ten weeks after the induction. It is suggested that xenogeneic Immune RNA information is incorporated in a stable fashion by cultured human lymphoblastoid cells, and also that it is replicated during their own replication. This system could be used for studying the incorporation of information carried by exogenous RNA and it might provide insight into some mechanisms underlying the transfer and processing of immunological information.