The antigen receptor complex on cord B lymphocytes.

The neonatal immune system responds to a restricted range of antigens, producing largely IgM antibody of low affinity. Comparison of the components of the B-cell antigen receptor complex shows significantly elevated membrane levels of IgM in neonatal B cells, compared with adult cells. CD79, which acts as the signal transducer for membrane immunoglobulin, is elevated in parallel with IgM, while IgD is elevated to a lesser degree. CD19, CD21, CD22 and CD81, which are all involved in transmitting activation signals when immunoglobulin is engaged, are not elevated. CD32, which is involved in negative regulation of activation, is present at reduced levels on cord B cells. The elevation of B-cell membrane IgM persists during infancy. Neonatal B cells respond in vitro to interleukin-4 (IL-4) by further elevation of membrane IgM levels. The elevated level of membrane IgM may make neonatal B cells easier to trigger by low concentrations of antigen, but in vitro activation and immunoglobulin modulation experiments did not show significant differences between cord and adult B-cell responses to anti-IgM.

The Fas antigen (CD95) on human lymphoid cells: epitope analysis with ten antibodies.

The expression of CD95 antigen was examined on adult and cord blood lymphocytes using a highly sensitive immunofluorescence/flow cytometric procedure. CD95 was expressed by the majority of circulating blood T cells in adults, and by a smaller proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in cord blood. The majority of circulating B cells did not react with seven CD95 antibodies, but three antibodies did stain B cells. In tonsil sections, CD95 was expressed throughout the tissue but germinal centres showed generally stronger staining than the surrounding follicular mantle and interfollicular areas. This was confirmed by flow cytometry, which showed expression preferentially on B cells with a germinal centre phenotype. Because different antibodies stained different proportions of B cells, CD95 epitopes were examined by inhibition, additive binding and protease susceptibility studies using a panel of ten CD95 antibodies. B cells apparently reacting selectively with CD95 antibodies were sorted and CD95 mRNA was reverse transcribed to cDNA and analyzed, in order to confirm the presence of CD95 in cells which reacted selectively and to explore the possible existence of CD95 isoforms. The major cDNA band was identical in the two populations. Inhibition of N-glycosylation suggested that the epitopes detected differentially could not be accounted for by differential N-glycosylation.

Purification of cord blood lymphocytes.

When cord blood is separated using standard methods based on Ficoll-Hypaque, the mononuclear fraction is contaminated with erythrocytes and also with nucleated cells that do not express the leucocyte marker CD45. The contamination with CD45-negative cells can exceed 50%, and will interfere with phenotypic, mRNA or functional analysis. A large proportion of these cells are erythrocyte precursors. The contaminating cells may be removed by lysis with hypotonic ammonium chloride; when the cells are required for studies which are adversely affected by ammonium chloride (such as antigen processing), high purity can be attained by two rounds of density separation.

Expression of cytokine receptors by human cord blood lymphocytes: comparison with adult blood lymphocytes.

The expression of receptors for several cytokines (IL 2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon-gamma) was examined in human cord blood cells in comparison with adult blood cells. A previously described high sensitivity immunofluorescence procedure was used to render the low levels of receptor measurable. Cord blood lymphocytes expressed measurable levels of most cytokine receptors, but expression tended to be lower than in adult blood cells. Examination of different lymphocyte subpopulations revealed a complex pattern with some cell types expressing particular receptors equivalent to adult levels. Cord and adult blood monocytes expressed similar cytokine receptor profiles. Receptor expression in cord lymphocytes could be regulated by activation. The results provide indications as to the relative activities of different cytokines in the development of the immune system in the neonate.

IgE+ cells in the peripheral blood of atopic, nonatopic, and bee venom-hypersensitive individuals exhibit the phenotype of highly differentiated B cells.

We have analyzed IgE+ cells in peripheral blood of atopic donors, donors hypersensitive to bee venom, and nonatopic control donors with two- and three-color flow cytometry. Although the percentage of IgE+ cells varied among these groups, the overall phenotypic patterns were similar. Most IgE+ cells do not display typical B-cell markers, such as CD19, CD20, and CD21. A significant proportion of these cells stain for CD38, indicating that they are more differentiated. IgE+ cells express Fc gamma RII and CD45RO, an isoform associated with an advanced level of differentiation. The majority of IgE+ cells do not coexpress other surface immunoglobulin isotypes. In the case of bee venom-hypersensitive donors, we have been able to identify a small population of IgE+ cells with a specificity for phospholipase A2, a major immunogenic component of bee venom. The phospholipase A2+ cells display a phenotype similar to that of the IgE+ cells.

Cytokine receptor expression in leukaemic cells.

Cytokines have been postulated to play important roles in tumour biology and in the host response to tumours, and a number of therapeutic modalities involving cytokines have been proposed. If patients are to be treated with cytokines, or cytokine inhibitors, it will be important to determine the potential for direct action of the cytokine on the tumour cells. In this study, a high-sensitivity immunofluorescence technique is used to determine the expression of a number of cytokine receptors on a total of 115 leukaemic samples. The results show that many leukaemic samples express low levels of cytokine receptors, and that malignancies of a particular type are heterogeneous with respect to receptor expression. In vitro culture experiments show, as expected, that receptor expression is a necessary but not sufficient requirement for responsiveness to cytokines. The cytokine receptor phenotype may provide useful additional clinical and prognostic information, and should be determined particularly for patients undergoing treatment with cytokines or cytokine inhibitors.

Expression of IL-4 receptor on human T and B lymphocytes.

The expression of the interleukin-4 receptor on human blood and tonsil lymphocytes has been studied using a monoclonal antibody and high-sensitivity immunofluorescence flow cytometry. While no receptor expression could be detected on circulating or tonsil T cells, a subset of B cells was shown to express the receptor. The IL-4R-positive B cells in tonsil had a phenotype suggesting that they included both germinal centre B cells and B cells outside the germinal centre. The subset of B cells in the blood that expressed the receptor included CD23-positive B cells. Activation of tonsil B cells using anti-IgM, IL-4, IL-2, or combinations of these reagents led to increases in IL-4R expression, but these changes were small compared to changes in the expression of IL-2R p55 (CD25), a known marker of activation. Similarly, activation of T cells led to low-level expression of IL-4R, with IL-4 itself up-regulating IL-4R, especially in CD4 cells. The majority of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia samples were positive for IL-4R expression, whilst most other leukemic samples were negative.

Expression of membrane receptor for tumour necrosis factor on human blood lymphocytes.

Using a monoclonal antibody against the human p75 tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR-I) combined with a high-sensitivity immunofluorescence flow cytometric procedure, a proportion of peripheral blood lymphocytes can be shown to express TNFR-I constitutively. Approximately 50% of peripheral blood lymphocytes consisting mostly of CD4 cells and including most CD45R0-positive cells, express TNFR-I. Receptor expression is increased by a variety of activation signals. Only a minority (up to 30%) of tonsil B cells express measurable levels of TNFR-I. The tonsil B cells which express TNFR-I include both cells with a germinal centre cell phenotype and cells with the phenotype of the follicular mantle zone. Activation of B cells with anti-immunoglobulin, alone or in combination with interleukin-4 or interleukin-2, increases receptor expression, particularly in cells with the phenotype of mantle zone cells. The functional significance of constitutive expression of TNFR by blood and tissue lymphocytes is discussed.

Coexpression of IL-2 receptor p55 and p75 by circulating blood lymphocytes.

By using high-sensitivity fluorescence and flow cytometry, it is possible to show that 30-40% of lymphocytes from PBL express the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor, whereas the p75 chain is expressed at low concentrations on most lymphocytes without in vitro activation. The availability of a second fluorochrome capable of high sensitivity allows simultaneous analysis of p55 and p75, albeit with some sacrifice in sensitivity. Two-color analysis shows that a small proportion of cells (1-6%) coexpress measurable concentrations of both chains of the IL-2 receptor, and three-color studies show that these cells are predominantly CD4-positive T cells and express the CD45R0 isoform of the leucocyte-common antigen, i.e., have the phenotype of activated helper T cells. These cells may be a useful indicator of immune activation.

An organ fragment culture model to study lymphocyte activation in human lymphoid tissue.

We have established and evaluated an organ fragment culture model for the study of human lymphocyte activation and differentiation. Small fragments of tonsillar tissue were cultured on Gelfoam for periods of up to 7 days. Monoclonal antibody in the medium was able to diffuse into the tissue, as demonstrated by subsequent detection of antibody-coated cells. Phytohaemagglutinin added to the culture medium caused activation of T and B cells, as indicated by changes in expression of a number of markers. Antibody against human IgM (added as a F(ab')2 fragment) together with IL-4 caused B cell activation, detectable by an increased expression of CD23 and other markers. Cell viability fell gradually in culture, but useful data could nevertheless be obtained from culture periods up to 7 days. The organ fragment culture provides a model for the study of T and B cell activation which maintains, at least in part, the intercellular interactions and the native microenvironment of lymphoid tissue.

Direct demonstration of membrane IL-1 alpha on the surface of circulating B lymphocytes and monocytes.

A mAb against IL-1 alpha has been used in a high sensitivity immunofluorescence procedure to demonstrate directly the presence of surface IL-1 alpha on human monocytes and B cells from blood and tonsil. IL-1 alpha could be detected on monocytes and a subset (around 30%) of B cells without any in vitro activation. Although the subset of B cells expressing IL-1 alpha was distinct (i.e., the distribution of fluorescence intensity was bimodal), no correlation was seen with any other B cell subset marker in blood. In tonsil, IL-1 alpha was expressed by cells with a phenotype that suggested that they represented a subset of mantle zone B cells. Activation of tonsil B cells with anti-IgM, IL-4, IL-2, and mixtures of these reagents led to small increases in IL-1 alpha expression, as did activation of unfractionated tonsil cells with PHA.

Expression of CD45 isoforms in chronic B-cell leukaemias.

CD45 isoform expression was studied in 204 cases of B-cell lymphoproliferative disease, including 162 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). In almost half the samples tested, CD45R0 was co-expressed with CD45RA, unlike normal B-cells, which express only CD45RA, except at terminal stages of differentiation. In a small number of cases CD45R0 was the dominant isoform expressed. No correlation could be discerned either with Binet or RAI staging in CLL or with disease type CLL, prolymphocytic leukaemia (PLL) or hairy cell leukaemia (HCL). Comparison of CD45 isoform expression with other markers showed no correlation with apparent maturational status of the cells involved.

The CD45RO (p180, UCHL1) marker: complexity of expression in peripheral blood.

Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes by two- and three-colour high-sensitivity staining with UCHL1 (CD45RO) and other markers shows that the expression of CD45RO on lymphocyte subsets is more complex than is generally supposed. In addition to the populations which express CD45RO and RA in a mutually exclusive manner, up to 30% of cells in adult blood express both markers, at low levels. This "intermediate" population includes CD4-positive cells, and a proportion of these cells express the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor (CD25), suggesting that they are activated. In cord blood there are few RO-bright cells, but CD45RO is expressed at low intensity on a proportion of cells. Among the CD45RO-bright cells in adult blood at least two subsets can be detected by using MHC Class II and the homing receptor L-selectin as additional markers. This complexity suggests that memory cells are a subset of CD45RO-expressing cells, but that this marker is also found on cells that are activated but not irreversibly "switched" to memory cells.

Detection of cytokine receptors by high-sensitivity immunofluorescence/flow cytometry.

Cytokines have profound effects on cells, and act through receptors which need only be at low concentrations (around 100 copies per cell) to transmit activation signals. The detection of such low concentrations is possible using monoclonal antibodies and fluorescence/flow cytometry, but only by using specialized techniques. The best results so far have been obtained using biotinylated second antibody followed by phycoerythrin-streptavidin, and batches of these reagents have to be carefully selected. Analysis of the fluorescence is best done using 546 nm excitation from a mercury arc lamp, but 512 nm excitation from an argon-ion laser can also be used. With appropriate alignment, instruments with 488 nm fixed-wavelength lasers can give sensitivity almost as good as the 546 nm system. Working at high sensitivity, background levels also increase, particularly for B lymphocytes. Background staining can be reduced to acceptable levels by blocking the two major mechanisms for non-specific binding. Applications of these methods to the detection of cytokine receptors on normal and malignant cells are reviewed.

Expression of interleukin-6 receptor on blood lymphocytes without in vitro activation.

A monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) has been used in a high-sensitivity immunofluorescence technique to study receptor expression on unstimulated blood lymphocytes. Most CD4 cells express IL-6 receptor, whilst a small and variable proportion of CD8 and B cells are positive. CD4+ cells express higher levels of receptor than CD8+ T cells, and CD45RO+ cells express higher levels than CD45RA cells.

The expression of sub-population markers on B cells: a re-evaluation using high-sensitivity fluorescence flow cytometry.

A number of markers which have been proposed to identify B cell subsets have been reassessed on human B cells, using an immunofluorescence technique optimized for sensitivity and an analytical mode which yields histograms showing the distribution of fluorescence on B cells. The results show that CD38, CD22, CD23, FMC6, and anti-IgM react with all blood B cells, albeit with a broad and complex distribution of fluorescence. CD5, CD9, CD10, CD43, and IgD can be regarded as subset markers since they give clearly bimodal distributions of fluorescence intensity. CD5 staining showed at least three populations, with a small number (3-5 per cent) of cells brightly stained and a population of variable size staining weakly. No clearly defined populations were seen with CD45R0, although staining was slightly above background. An antibody against the LAM-1 molecule reacted with all blood B cells. Expression of the IL-2 receptor p55 chain (CD25) was clearly bimodal, whereas the p75 chain was essentially negative on B cells. The relationship between subsets in blood and subsets in tissue, and between subsets identified by different markers in blood, is discussed.