Acquisition of mitogenic responsiveness by nonresponding lymphocytes upon insertion of appropriate membrane components.

The effect of insertion of plasma membrane components from lymphocytes responding to mitogens into the membranes of nonresponding cells using Sendai virus envelopes as vehicles was examined. T cells modified by B membranes were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to proliferate as well as to produce interleukin-2 activity. B cells modified by T membranes were stimulated by concanavalin A to proliferate and to produce interleukin-2 activity. B cells derived from C3H/HeJ LPS-nonresponder strain of mice, when modified by B membranes derived from the LPS-responder C3H/eb strain, acquired LPS responsiveness. These findings indicate that the inability of either T or B cells to respond to specific mitogens is due to the lack of suitable plasma membrane constituents and that by changing the membrane composition the lymphocytes can be endowed with new functions.