IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIPLE CYTOLYTIC COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH BETA-LT CLASS OF LYMPHOTOXINS RELEASED BY MITOGEN-ACTIVATED HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES INVITRO

Abstract

Cytotoxic activity (lymphotoxin [LT]) associated with the 50,000 dalton .beta.-LT class of human LT was resolved into multiple components by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. The 2 components, termed .beta.-LT1 and .beta.-LT2, are separable from the 90,000 MW .alpha.-LT, since neither component is neutralized by incubation with heterologous rabbit anti-.alpha.-LT antisera. The 2 components differ in their overall charge and relative heat stability, with the .beta.-LT1 component being more positively charged than the .beta.-LT2 molecule, and extremely heat labile.