IMMUNOLOGICAL MARKER ANALYSIS OF MITOGEN-INDUCED PROLIFERATING LYMPHOCYTES USING BRDU INCORPORATION OR SCREENING OF METAPHASES - STAPHYLOCOCCAL PROTEIN-A IS A POTENT MITOGEN FOR CD4+ LYMPHOCYTES

The proliferative effects of the mitogens phylohaemagglutinin (PHA). concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM). and staphylococcal protein A (SpA) were investigated using two different methods which enable immunological marker analysis of proliferating cells: either surface marker labelling followed by Brd U incorporation or screening of metaphases after surface marker labelling. Therefore peripheral blood mononuclear cells from six healthy volunteers were stimulated with these four mitogens. Both PHA and Con A gave rise to more CD8+ than CD4+ proliferating cells. PHA, but not Con A, induced B‐cell proliferation as well. PWM mainly caused T‐cell proliferation. SpA also appeared to be a potent T‐cell mitogen in addition to its capacity to induce B‐cell proliferation. However, in contrast to the other mitogens SpA predominantly stimulated CD4+ cells. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved