A specific defect in the proliferative capacity of B cells from old mice stimulated with autoreactive T cells

B lymphocytes from aged mice were found to be defective in their ability to proliferate in response to stimulation with an autoreactive T cell clone D1.4. The differentiative response leading to antibody secretion was also impaired in the auto D1.4 T cell-stimulated B cells from old mice in comparison to similarly stimulated B cells from young mice. The B cells from old mice were competent in activating the autoreactive T cells such that the T cells were induced to proliferate. The B cell defect appears to be restricted to a certain phase of B cell activation, since old mouse B cells responded to the auto D1.4 T cells by increasing cell surface Ia as well as size, but failed to incorporate tritiated thymidine. The responsiveness to interleukin-4 was found to be similar between B cells from young and old mice. It appeared that the B cells from old mice are specifically defective in progressing from the G0 phase of cell cycle into the S phase when stimulated with the auto D1.4 T cells.