Epstein-Barr virus induced pneumococcal antibody production in man. A comparison of different lymphoid organs.

B cell enriched lymphocytes from different lymphoid organs were compared regarding their ability to produce pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPS) antibodies in vitro after transformation with Epstein-Barr virus. Tonsillar, adenoidal and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were studied. Fifty thousand B enriched lymphocytes from each organ sample were cultured in each of 88 wells of a microplate. After 30 days the supernatant of each culture was assayed for pneumococcal antibody activity and total IgG and IgM, using enzyme immunosorbent assay. Sera from the organ donors were analysed as well. In the supernatants, significant specific antibody activity was detected only of the IgM class, although IgG production was recorded. The IgM anti-PPS activity of PBL was significantly higher than that of the adenoidal lymphocytes (P less than 0.01), with tonsillar lymphocytes in an intermediate position, although the level of total IgM was of the same magnitude. Sera from children showed the highest IgM anti-PPS activity and at the same time the lowest IgG activity. The opposite relation was recorded in sera from the adult donors. Irrespective of the explanation for different distribution of specifically reactive cells in different lymphoid organs our data indicate distinct compartmentalization of immunocompetent B cell clones.