Antibody potential of human peripheral blood lymphocytes differentially expressing surface membrane IgM.

The appearance of circulating pokeweed mitogen-reactive B lymphocyte subpopulations responsible for the synthesis of IgM and IgG anti-tetanus toxoid antibody after in vivo booster immunization has been analyzed for differential expression of surface membrane IgM. B cells were rosetted with human mu-chain specific antiglobulin-coupled ox red blood cells and separated by density centrifugation into mu+ and mu- populations. After 8 days in vitro culture with irradiated T cells and pokeweed mitogen, antibody synthesis was assessed by quantitative radioimmunoassay. Mu+ cells synthesized both IgG and IgM anti-tetanus toxoid antibodies, whereas mu- cells predominantly synthesized IgG anti-tetanus toxoid antibodies. Limiting dilution analysis revealed a greater number of IgG anti-tetanus toxoid precursors in the mu+ population at all times after immunization compared with mu- cells. However, the activity, as measured by the amount of antibody produced per IgG anti-tetanus toxoid antibody precursor, was 2 to 4 times greater in the mu- population than that in the mu+ population. These results indicate that functionally distinct human circulating B lymphocytes can be identified by their differential expression of surface membrane IgM.