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Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI109867

B Cell Differentiation and Immunoregulatory T Cell Function in Human Cord Blood Lymphocytes

Giovanna Tosato, Ian T. Magrath, Irma R. Koski, Nancy J. Dooley, and R. Michael Blaese

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Find articles by Tosato, G. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Find articles by Magrath, I. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Find articles by Koski, I. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Find articles by Dooley, N. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205

Find articles by Blaese, R. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Published August 1, 1980 - More info

Published in Volume 66, Issue 2 on August 1, 1980
J Clin Invest. 1980;66(2):383–388. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI109867.
© 1980 The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Published August 1, 1980 - Version history
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Abstract

The functional maturity of T and B lymphocyte populations from human newborns was evaluated using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay to detect immunoglobulin-secreting cells generated in in vitro cultures stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), a T cell-dependent polyclonal activator, and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a T cell-independent B cell activator. Cord blood lymphocytes failed to produce immunoglobulin in response to PWM, but did respond with immunoglobulin synthesis to stimulation with EBV. Co-culture experiments demonstrated that cord blood T cells would inhibit immunoglobulin production by adult cells stimulated with PWM, but not with EBV. Cord blood T cells did suppress immunoglobulin production by cord blood B cells when stimulated with a mixture of EBV and PWM, indicating that cord blood, in contrast to adult blood, contains a population of suppressor T cell precursors that are easily activated by PWM. Irradiation of the cord blood T cells with 2,000 rad eliminated the suppressor activity and revealed normal helper function for immunoglobulin (Ig) G, A, and M when these T cells were co-cultured with adult B cells. Cord blood B cells co-cultured with adult T cells or irradiated cord blood T cells did produce immunoglobulin in response to PWM, but the response was significantly lower than that of adult B cells, and only IgM was produced in these cultures. These studies demonstrate that both the T and B cells of the human newborn have significant functional differences compared with the functions of T and B lymphocyte populations in adults.

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