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The mode of interaction of twelve lectins with human T lymphocytes was investigated. In order to establish possible differences between mitogenic and nonmitogenic lectins, they were studied for their capacity to induce or inhibit DNA synthesis. Their interaction with intact T cells was studied by immunofluorescence and 51Cr release. Further, lectins conjugated to Sepharose were investigated with regard to their capacity to bind surface glycopeptides from T cell lysates. Operationally, the lectins could be divided into three groups: (a) mitogenic lectins; (b) lectins inhibitory for lymphocyte mitogenesis as induced by leucoagglutinin (La) from Phaseolus vulgaris; and (c) nonmitogenic lectins which were noninhibitory in this La system. Six lectins were nonmitogenic. For two or possibly three of these, lack of mitogenicity was due to complete or partial failure to bind to the lymphocytes. This explanation could not account for lack of mitogenicity of the other three nonmitogenic lectins. Only two of the lectins utilized inhibited La‐induced mitogenesis. However, when the lectins were compared with regard to their capacity to bind surface glycopeptides from T cell lysates, important differences between mitogenic and nonmitogenic lectins were seen. As revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate and autoradiography, the mitogenic lectins bound a larger number of surface glycopeptides (15–20) than the nonmitogenic lectins (3–10). More importantly, five distinct glycopeptides (gp 135 K, 125 K, 105 K, 95 K and 43 K) were bound by all mitogenic lectins but not by the nonmitogenic lectins. It remains to be established whether these glycopeptides are present on the T cells which are susceptible to the mitogenic action of the lectins and whether it is the interaction of the lectins with one or several of them which triggers mitogenicity.

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.