Information carried by the DNA released by antigen-stimulated lymphocytes.

Both antigen-stimulated and non-stimulated human blood lymphocytes release in vitro a DNA-containing complex which is not the product of dying or disintegrating cells. Lymphocytes obtained from different PPD or HBs positive or negative donors were incubated with one of these antigens and the DNA released in the culture medium was tested for its information content using, successively, two cell-free systems. The ability of the resulting protein product to bind specifically to the stimulating antigen was examined by immunoadsorption chromatography. Results show that DNA excreted by stimulated lymphocytes was transcribed into an RNA which coded for an antigen-binding protein, whereas DNA released by unstimulated lymphocytes did not. The protein produced in this system, using as template the DNA released after cell stimulation, bound specifically to PPD or HBs Sepharose 4B coated columns, depending on the stimulating antigen and on the cell response to this antigen. After elution from the column the protein sedimented at 19S in a linear sucrose gradient.