Β2-microglobulin secretion from lymphoid cells: A study at the cellular level

Abstract

A protein plaque assay was developed for the detection of human lymphocytes secretingΒ₂-microglobulin. The development of plaques required production ofΒ₂-microglobulin by viable cells at an estimated rate exceeding 25 molecules per second. It has previously been suggested thatΒ₂-microglobulin secretion is restricted to certain lymphoid cell subpopulations. However, both T- and B-cells were shown to form plaques in normal donors and immunodeficient patients after activation with various mitogens. A close correlation betweenΒ₂-microglobulin production and DNA synthesis was evident. However, secretion of immunoglobulin did not correlate with the proportion of cells secretingΒ₂-microglobulin.