Induction of autoreactive cells by the preculture of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with the autologous fresh plasma.

An AMLR in which precultured cells proliferated in response to fresh non-T cells is described. In our system, the responder is human peripheral blood mononuclear cells precultured in the autologous fresh plasma for up to 16 days, and the stimulator is fresh autologous non-T cells. Results suggested that there were two subpopulations of autoreactive cells obtained from the preculture; the high and low density small lymphocytes, both having ERF activity. The autoreactivity of low density cells was augmented when either macrophages or N-ERF-cells were depleted from PBM and thereafter precultures wre performed. A survey of the functional characteristics of the responding cells showed that the responding cells had NK activity against Molt-4 cells but had no significant ADCC activity against target CRBC. Mechanisms for the induction of autoreactive cells by the preculture in the presence of autologous fresh plasma are discussed.