Human B lymphocytes produce leukocyte interferon after interaction with foreign cells

Abstract

Enriched human B cell populations cocultivated with xenographic or allogeneic tumor cells produced 1000-10,000 U of leukocyte interferon/ml. Cocultivation of enriched plastic-adherent or T cell populations with xenogeneic or allogeneic cells produced only 10-30 U of interferon. The population of cells producing the interferon absorbed to nylon wool and not sheep erythrocytes. They showed a strong mitogenic response to the B cell mitogen Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide but not the T cell mitogen staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Treatment of this cell population with goat anti-human IgM and complement depleted the cell population synthesizing the interferon. The cells producing most of the interferon after interacting with foreign cells evidently belong to the B cell population. The cells that produce most of the leukocyte interferon after interacting in vivo with tumors or other cells made foreign to the body by certain viruses most likey belong to the B lymphocyte population.