Angiogenic activity in culture supernatant of antigen-stimulated lymph node cells.

The culture supernatant of antigen- and phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated lymph node cells contained angiogenic activity when applied to hamster cheek pouch vascular membranes. New capillary growth was observed about 7 days after such application. This activity was generated by culturing lymph node cells with antigens for at least 12 hr, while migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was detected in the culture supernatant of 6 hr cultures. The angiogenic activity was separated from blastogenic activity, clot-promoting activity and antibody activity. However, it was not completely separated from MIF by gel-filtration. The molecular weight of the angiogenic activity was estimated to be between 35,000 and 55,000 daltons.