ACTIVATION OF LYMPHOCYTES IN CLL BY PROTEIN A FROM STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS

Abstract

The mitogenic activity of protein A (PA), leukoagglutinin (LA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was tested in 6 cases of chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL), and the response to PA and LA in 6 healthy controls. The effect of fetal calf serum (FCS) and pooled human AB serum in the cultures was tested in 2 patients. The response to LA in the patients was about 1/10 of that in the controls. The response to PA was strong in patients and in healthy controls. In lymphocytes from CLL patients this response was serum-dependent, being very strong with FCS in the culture medium, but absent when the medium contained human AB serum. Lymphocytes from normal controls responded to PA in the presence of AB serum.