Inhibition of active E rosette forming T lymphocytes by hyaluronic acid. Evidence of a receptor for hyaluronic acid on a lymphocyte subpopulation.

Previous studies have shown the inhibition of active E rosette forming T lymphocytes by a mesenchyme associated antigen. Recent results clearly indicated that this antigen consisted in the association of a glycoprotein named hyaluronectin with hyaluronic acid. Using the active E rosette technique of Wybran and Fudenberg, we have studied the action of hyaluronic acid on T lymphocytes. We obtained evidence of the partial inhibition of active E rosette formation by hyaluronic acid in 19 of 25 healthy subjects. Among them, inhibition percentage was 45 +/- 4. This inhibition remained significant at a concentration of 22.5 micrograms/ml hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid was labelled with peroxidase by the glutaraldehyde technique: 17 +/- 7% lymphocytes were stained by this preparation. The preincubation of peroxydase labelled hyaluronic acid by brain hyaluronectin lowered this staining. This is in agreement with the presence of hyaluronectin on a subpopulation of lymphocytes as it was shown by immunofluorescence techniques. In conclusion, a receptor for hyaluronic acid (hyaluronectin) was detected on a proportion of lymphocytes. These results suggest that hyaluronic acid could have an immunosuppressive activity.