Immunoglobulin secretion by human B lymphocytes exposed to herpes simplex type I antigen

Herpes simplex type I (HSV I) antigen was studied for its capacity to induce immunoglobulin(Ig)-secreting cells in human peripheral-blood lymphocytes. Ig-secreting cells were detected using an indirect hemolytic plaque assay. These results were compared to those obtained by using pokeweed mitogen (T-dependent) and Epstein-Barr virus (T-independent) to induce Ig-secreting cells. The HSV I induction of Ig synthesis was T-dependent, similar to the pokeweed-mitogen system. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells depleted of T cells did not produce immunoglobulin. In contrast, the same T-depleted cell populations stimulated with Epstein-Barr virus (another member of the Herpes group) produced Ig. Lymphocytes in the HSV-I-stimulated cultures were found to secrete immunoglobulins of the IgA, IgG, and IgM classes. It was the lymphocytes from seropositive individuals that made Ig after HSV I stimulation. Such responses suggest that this system may be antigen-specific. This T-dependent virally induced Ig synthesis system may be useful in studying immunodeficient and immunocompromised individuals.