Changes in lectin receptor lateral mobilities accompany lymphocyte stimulation.

Changes in lateral mobilities of rabbit lymphocyte membrane components in response to succinyl concanavalin A (S Con A) have been studied by fluorescence photobleaching recovery (FPR). During hrs 0 to 3 after exposure to S Con A, lectin receptor mobilities on both T and B cells fall about 2-fold. Reduced mobility of T cell lectin receptors persists until hr 18. From hr 18 to 24 rapid recovery of original mobility occurs if and only if lectin is present. In contrast, nonresponding B cells recover original receptor mobility gradually over hr 4 to 48. Metabolic inhibitors added at hr 3 restore original receptor mobilities, but cytoskeletal disruptors have this effect on T cells only. From hr 0 to 15, washing lectin from the cell surface is decreasingly effective in restoring T cell receptor mobility. After hr 15, mobility cannot be enhance by lectin removal. Parallel DNA synthesis studies show that, for T cell stimulation, lectin must be present on the cell surface during hr 0 to 3 and 18 to 24. These are the periods when FPR measurements show lectin receptor mobilities being restricted and released, respectively. Stimulation of B cells by anti-Ig shows several interesting features. First, stimulation by intact anti-Ig fails to reduce the mobilities of Con A receptors in a manner similar to that produced by S Con A. Second, S Con A does reduce mobility of surface Ig. Thus, Con A receptors would appear to exert a unique anchorage modulation of mobilities of other membrane molecules.