Effect of LDL-In, a normal immunoregulatory human serum low density lipoprotein, on the interaction of macrophages with lymphocytes proliferating in response to mitogen and allogeneic stimulation.

The immunoregulatory properties of LDL-In, a normal species of human serum low density lipoprotein which suppresses indictive events involved in triggering of lymphoid cells by lectins and antigens, were analyzed in order to distinguish between a primary effect on macrophages and lymphocytes. LDL-In was found to be equally effective in suppression of the response of human lymphocytes to tpha at concentrations of lectin demonstrated to impart apparent macrophage-independence or macrophage-dependence to the culture system. Exposure of only the macrophages to LDL-In was shown to be without effect on subsequent in vitro lymphocyte responses to either PHA or allogeneic cells, whereas exposure of only the lymphocytes to LDL-In was fully effective. The cellular locus was further identified by demonstrating that the responder lymphocytes, but not the stimulator lymphocytes, were the target of the suppressive activity in mixed lymphocyte reactions. These data considered in conjunction with previous studies suggest that the primary untriggered lymphocyte is the most probable cellular target for the bioregulatory effects of LDL-In.