Triggering of affinity-enriched B cells. II. Composition and B cell triggering properties of affinity-purified,...

Antigen-specific, T cell-derived helper factor (ASHF), recognizing alloantigens on chicken red blood cells (CRBC), had previously been shown to trigger an IgM anti-CRBC response in vitro by 2 X 10(3) affinity-enriched B cells. Triggering signals for B cell proliferation were shown to be substituted by ASHF or lipopolysaccharide, and signals for differentiation to IgM production by Thy-1+ cells. In an effort to demonstrate unequivocally antigen specificity of helper factor, secretory products and cell extracts from helper T cells that had been primed by either the B2 or the B13 chicken alloantigens, were purified by antigen affinity and ion exchange chromatography. With each step of purification, antigen-specific biologic activity of ASHF-containing material increased such that ASHF from B2, but not B13, primed helper T cells would help trigger a B2, but not a B13, -specific response and vice versa. Gel filtration of ASHF suggests it to have a m.w. of at least 50,000. Absorption studies showed that ASHF binds to B cells in the absence of antigen. Delivery of the triggering signal requires ASHF to bind simultaneously to both, the cell surface and the antigen. ASHF consists of at least two subunits that may be separated from each other by chelating agents. This yields two biologically inactive fractions, only one of which binds to the nominal antigen. Upon recombining them in the presence of Ca++, full biologic activity is restored.