Immunogenicity of human B cell antigens solubilized from cultured human lymphoid cells.

Antigens solubilized from culured human lymphoid cells WI-L2 and RPMI 1788 were partially purified by ultracentrifugation on a KBr gradient. These antigens injected into rabbits produced xenoantibodies which after absorption with melanoma cells became specific to B cell antigens. Three such xenoantisera were submitted to the Second Histocompatibility Workshop of the Americas and reacted much like alloantisera to B cell antigens against a large panel of B peripheral lymphocytes and cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Xenoantisera to B cell antigens inhibited the mixed lymphocyte reaction, but did not affect the mitogenic activity of phytohemagglutinin or the functional properties of C3 receptors, monkey red blood cell receptors, or T cell receptors.