Effects of anti-guinea-pig beta 2-microgloblin antibodies on lymphocyte transformation induced by specific antigens or mitogens.

The effects of a goat anti-guinea-pig beta 2-microglobulin antiserum (a beta 2m) on lymphocyte transformation, induced by specific antigens or mitogens, were studied. a beta 2m was found to exert inhibitory effects on antigen stimulation, with three different antigens (purified protein devivative, hen egg-white lysozyme, and ovalbumin), and on stimulation induced by the 'T-cell mitogens', concanavalin A and phytohaemagglutinin, and the 'mixed mitogen', pokeweed mitogen. Stimulation induced by the 'B-cell mitogens', dextran sulphate and bacterial lipopolysaccharide, did not seem to be inhibited to the same extent by a beta 2m. The inhibitory effects seemed specific, as they were not seen with a beta 2m that had been absorbed on a column with insolubilized purified guinea-pig beta 2m nor with normal goat serum. Time studies indicated that the inhibitions started already during the first day of culture.