In vitro immunoglobulin synthesis: T-cell requirement in pokeweed and Staphylococcus aureus B-cell activation

The T-cell requirement for the B-lymphocyte immunoglobulin synthesis induced by Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and by Staphylococcus Aureus Cowan I (SAC) was investigated. We found that the PWM induced B-cell activation was controlled by an absolute Mytomicin-C resistant T-cell helper activity and by a Mytomicin-C sensible T-cell suppressor activity. On the other hand the SAC induced B-cell activation was less thymus dependent and was not influenced by Mytomicin-C treated or irradiated T cells. The different T-cell requirement could be an expression of different responding B-cell subpopulations.