Neuraminidase alteration of human lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens, antigens and allogenic lymphocytes
Pauly, J.L.; Germain, M.J.; Han, T.
Journal of Medicine 9(3): 223-236
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7850 PMID: 283169 Document Number: 133076
Lymphocyte reactivity to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was reduced significantly in whole blood cultures initiated with nontoxic concentrations of Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase (VCN). Reduced responsiveness was not due to degradation or inactivation of PHA by this enzyme, and the reaction was dependent on the dose and time at which this mitogen and enzyme were added to the cultures. In cultures from some subjects, VCN also inhibited reactivity to concanavalin A. Lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens from pokeweed or Staphylococcus aureus and to antigens or allogeneic lymphocytes was enhanced by VCN. At concentrations required to elicit these effects, VCN itself was not stimulatory. These findings are compared with the results of studies employing lymphocytes that were pretreated with VCN prior to culturing and in which stimulation to PHA was unchanged, whereas reactivity to soluble and cell-bound antigens was augmented.