All issues > Volume 37(10); 1994

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1994;37(10):1386-1396. Published online October 15, 1994.

Studies on the B Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Factors in Human B Cell System

Kwang-Ju KJ Lee¹, Young-Hun YH Chung¹, Jae-Ho JH Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon, Korea

Abstract

We have studied the function of lymphokines on human tonsillar B cell proliferation and differentiation. B cells were stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan1(SAC) or anti-μ bead. The followings showed the results of this study. 1) In B cell activation, SAC induced B cell DNA synthesis but anti-μ bead did not. SAC could activate and proliferate B cells. Minimal number of B cells were required to proliferate effectively. 2) In B cell proliferation, SAC could proliferate B cell in the abscence of lymphokines. Exogenous IL-2 or IL-4 enhance B cell proliferation. The roles of IL-2 were very important in B cell proliferation. The effect of IL-4 on the IL-2 induced B cell proliferation was inhibitory in SAC-B cells IL-4 could enhance the proliferation of anti-μ bead activated B cells. 3) In B cell differentiation, IL-2 was a major factor to differentiate SAC activated B cells, but IL-4 did not. IL-6 had a synergistic effect on the differentiation. The results of this study showed that the different signal transduction mechanisms were involved in B cell proliferation and differentiation. The B cell resposes to lymphokine were different, and it is depend upon antigens or mitogens.

Keywords :B cell, Proliferation, Differentiation, BCGF , BCDF