Synthesis and Secretion of Immunoglobulin, Including IgA, by Human Tonsil and Adenoid Tissue Cultured in vitro

Abstract

Cell suspensions (> 90% lymphocytes) from human tonsils and adenoids were washed, filtered through nylon mesh and cultured in vitro. Immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesized by these cultures was quantitated by a [¹²⁵I] Fab assay, and specific IgA was enumerated by a [¹²⁵I] IgA radioimmunoassay. Specificity studies with the IgA assay revealed that it measured serum and exocrine IgA with equal efficiency. Medium from 8 tissues cultured at 37 °C for 72 h contained 3–4 times more Ig and 7–12 times more IgA than was present before culture. Tissue cultures at 24 °C failed to show such increases. Most of the Ig and IgA was produced into culture media during the first 24 h. The IgA protein produced by tonsillar lymphocytes in vitro was 7S monomer IgA by sucrose density ultracentrifugation.