Lymphoid cell lines as indicators of lymphokine generation.

We investigated the migration characteristics of the cells of four human lymphoid lines, normal peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL), and normal mouse splenocytes (MSC). Two lines (QIMR-WIL and Namalwa) were actively migratory, as were the PBL and MSC. Migration was inhibited at low temperatures and reduced by inhibition of glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation and RNA synthesis. The migration of QIMR-WIL cells, PBL and MSC but not Namalwa was inhibited by lymphokine-containing supernatants from phytohaemagglutinin-pulsed MSC or MSC stimulated by allogenic cells. The inhibitor of migration in the supernatants had properties similar to those of human leucocyte inhibition factor but distinct from those of macrophage inhibition factor. QIMR-WIL and normal human PBL were compared as indicators in an indirect leucocyte migration assay. QIMR-WIL cells were the more sensitive responder cells and are an abundant, stable, and uniform cell population for lymphokine detection.