Induction of Antibody Synthesis in Human B Lymphocytes by Different Polyclonal B Cell Activators: Evaluation by Direct and Indirect PFC Assays

This paper will document some of the fmdings obtained during the last years in our laboratory, concerning polyclonal activation of human B cells to antibody synthesis in vitro. The aim of our studies has been to elucidate the physiological as well as the pathological function of humoral immunity in humans. Most of the published reports concerning deficient immune functions in clinical practice have made use of standard tests for immunoglobulin levels in the serum of patients, whereas little is as yet known about the cellular basis of such responses. In part, this is due to the fact that the pathological immunogens resulting in aberrant immune reactivity, such as that seen in autoimmunity, are as yet undefined. Considerable knowledge has been recently accumulated about pathological functions in T cell subpopulations in various disease states. This has been accomplished by the use of nonspecific ligands capable of activating resting T cells into functional effector cells. Little is as yet known about the cellular basis for abnormal humoral immune reactivity, partly due to lack of substances with a nonspecific activating capacity for peripheral human B lymphocytes. However, such ligands are now available and might prove to be of great value for the further characterization of the regulation of humoral immune responsiveness.