Lack of inhibition by mouse alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) of in vitro induced lymphocyte blastogenesis.

Mouse amniotic fluids (MAF) were tested for their inhibitory effect on the transformation of lymphocytes by concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli, and on mixed lymphocyte cultures. Eight of the thirteen samples tested contained inhibitory activity equal or superior to 50 % of the controls. Pure preparations of mousealpha-foetoprotein (AFP) were obtained from these or other MAF-pools by immunoadsorption and/or by affinity chromatography on oestradiol-Sepharose. None of the isolated samples of AFP, whether originating from immunosuppressive MAF-pools or from pools lacking activity, exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the in vitro transformation of lymphocytes. The suppressive properties of the MAF samples and the non-suppressive activity of samples of pure AFP were not affected by the addition of oestradiol-17 beta or after removal of endogenous oestrogens by exhaustive dialysis against 15 % dioxan solutions.