Lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin: Intracellular volume and intracellular [K+]

✍ Scribed by A. Holian; C. J. Deutsch; S. K. Holian; R. P. Daniele; D. F. Wilson

• Book ID: 102882143
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1979
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 625 KB
• Volume: 98
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1040980115

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on lymphocytes was examined with respect to free intracellular water volume and intracellular [K^+^]. At a cell concentration of 30 × 10^6^ lymphocytes/ml in modified Hank's Buffered Salt Solution (HBSS) in the presence of 10% human AB serum, addition of PHA at 3 mg/ml resulted in a 24–27% decrease in free intracellular water space within 30 to 60 minutes and a return to control level after three hours. A larger change in intracellular water (44%) was observed under similar conditions in the absence of serum. The absolute intracellular K^+^ content did not change after PHA addition, but the cell water volume decrease arising from PHA addition resulted in a 29% increase in intracellular [K^+^] at 60 minutes. The decrease in lymphocyte water volume induced by PHA was also observed for concanavalin A which stimulates lymphocyte proliferation, but not for wheat germ lectin, an agglutinating agent which is not mitogenic. Thus, volume regulation may be closely associated with the mitogenicity of these compounds.