Antigen B-specific helper factor from timothy grass pollen: isolation and partial characterization.

Spleen cells from LAF1 mice primed with photo-oxidized antigen B exhibit helper T-cell activity when assayed in an adoptive transfer system with spleen cells from mice primed with timothy pollen extract and treated with anti-thy 1.2 serum and complement. These helper cells, when placed in culture with antigen B, secrete a soluble antigen B-specific helper factor (THF) that requires the presence of normal spleen cells or cells that do not adhere to nylon wool in order to exhibit T cell-replacing activity. The THF has been partially purified over an immobilized antigen adsorbent. The eluted THF exhibits a mol. wt of 65,000 by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and contains 5% carbohydrate by weight. The THF is I-Ak-positive and Ig-negative.