In the preceding report, enhanced polyclonal antibody synthesis (PAS) activity of bone marrow cells (BMC) of NZB mice was shown. Cells involved in its activity among BMC population were explored in this report. Antibody-forming cells (AFC) already existing in the bone marrow were not responsible for this activity since depletion of AFC by passage through a Sephadex G-10 column did not affect the numbers of antiTNP AFC and immunoglobulin-secreting cells (IgSC) in the spleen of BMC-reconstituted mice when assayed 7 days after the transfer. Thy-1-positive cells among BMC population and host thymus were not relevant to PAS. Suppressor cells seemed to play little role as observed in transfer of mixed BMC population from NZB and BALB/c mice. PAS activity was prominently observed in surface immunoglobulin-positive cells. Significance of enhanced PAS activity was discussed with reference to autoantibody production.
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