Isolation of human B-cell subpopulations for pharmacological studies

Three groups of human peripheral blood B-lymphocytes were separated from each other by countercurrent centrifugal elutriation and free-flow electrophoresis. They differed in their state of maturation and in their capability to produce antibodies in vitro. These B-cell subpopulations were used to study features of a drug such as BAY R 1005. BAY R 1005 is a synthetic glycolipid analogue (GLA), which is supposed to modulate antibody synthesis. Mature, immunoglobulin- (Ig-) secreting B-lymphocytes secreted equal quantities of antibodies in the presence and in the absence of the GLA. BAY R 1005 was found to be without mitogenic activity on resting B-cells and did not induce them to produce antibodies. However, it supported the antibody production of preactivated B-lymphocytes. The in vitro preactivated B-cells were affected via monocytes. Only in vivo preactivated B-lymphocytes increased their antibody production under the direct influence of BAY R 1005.