The role of extracellular DNA in the transfer of information from T to B human lymphocytes in the course of an immune response.

Human lymphocytes obtained from donors exhibiting different allotypes were separated into B- and T-enriched subpopulations and cultured in the presence or absence of Herpes simplex virus inactivated by U.V. Isolated B or T cell suspensions did not produce any antiherpetic activity. The B lymphocytes cultured in the presence of the supernatant collected from virus-exposed T cells or in the presence of DNA extracted from this supernatant, synthesized an antiherpetic antibody carrying allotypic markers of the T cell donor.