Biological functions of mouse seminal vesicle fluid. I. Suppression of blastogenic responses of lymphocytes

The effect of mouse seminal vesicle fluid (SVF) on blastogenic response of splenocytes to mitogens was investigated. SVF significantly suppressed blastogenic response of splenocytes to concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin in a dose-dependent manner, but blastogenic response to lipopolysaccharide was suppressed only at low, although significant, levels, even at high concentrations of SVF. Extensive dialysis did not reduce the capacity of SVF to inhibit blastogenesis of splenocytes. For elucidation of the mechanisms of suppression of blastogenic response, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent cells were cultured in the presence of IL-2 and various concentrations of SVF. The presence of SVF did not inhibit the proliferative response of IL-2-dependent cells to IL-2. These results suggest that the suppression of blastogenic response of T lymphocytes to mitogens in seminal plasma is caused by an undialyzable component (or components) derived from seminal vesicle and is attributable to the alteration of receptors for mitogens or of IL-2 receptors that are expressed on stimulation by mitogens.