Open AccessInduction of lymphocyte proliferation by antigen‐pulsed human neutrophils
Author(s) -
PRIOR C.,
TOWNSEND P. J.,
HUGHES D. A.,
HASLAM P. L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb03024.x
Subject(s) - immunology , antigen , lymphocyte , toxoid , t lymphocyte , monoclonal antibody , biology , major histocompatibility complex , antibody , immunization
SUMMARY We have investigated whether purified antigen‐pulsed human neutrophils can induce a proliferative response in purified resting blood lymphocytes. Neutrophils were pulsed with soluble tetanus toxoid (dose range 25–250 Lf/ml) and co‐cultured with autologous lymphocytes that had been depleted of MHC class II expressing cells. The antigen‐pulsed neutrophils induced an increase of lymphocyte proliferation which was dependent on the antigen dose and the neutrophil/lymphocytc ratios. Neutrophils were less potent than autologous monocytes in stimulating lymphocyte proliferation. Blocking with a monoclonal antibody to a common determinant of the human MHC class II complex failed to reduce the lymphoproliferative effects and allogenic antigen‐pulsed neutrophils were also able to elicit lymphocyte proliferation similar to autologous neutrophils. We conclude that antigen‐pulsed neutrophils are able to induce lymphocyte proliferation in a non‐MHC‐restricted fashion.