A NEW SURFACE MARKER ON T LYMPHOCYTES OF HUMAN PERIPHERAL BLOOD

Abstract

Neuraminidase treatment of human peripheral blood lymphocytes uncovers cell surface receptors that bind purified A hemagglutinin from the snail Helix pomatia. No hemagglutinin was bound to untreated lymphocytes. Binding studies with 125I-labeled hemagglutinin suggested that the number of receptors on neuraminidase-treated lymphocytes was approximately 1·106/cell. The apparent association constant for hemagglutinin binding to lymphocytes, as calculated from Scatchard's plots, was 5–7·108 liters/mol. Immunofluorescent staining with FITC-conjugated hemagglutinin gave positive reactions with approximately 60% of the lymphocytes from normal donors. Positive staining was inversely related to the number of lymphocytes with Fc or complement receptors or with surface immunoglobulin, thus suggesting that See PDF for Structure the lymphocytes with receptors for Helix pomatia A hemagglutinin are T cells. Cell fractionation on columns charged with hemagglutinin indicate that these receptors may be used for separating subpopulations of human peripheral lymphocytes.