Migratory properties of normal lymphoid cells with different concanavalin A-binding capacities

Abstract

It has been proposed that Con A receptor sites on lymphoid cell surfaces control lymph node localization of normal T cells. To investigate this hypothesis, suspensions of whole spleen, splenic T cells, and thymocytes from normal BALB/c mice were fractionated on discontinuous bovine serum albumin (BSA) gradients and fractions were examined separately for their ability to bind 125I-labeled concanavalin A and to migrate to lymph nodes. Low density cells from whole spleen or splenic T-cell gradients bound more concanavalin A (Con A) per cell than high density cells. However, dense cells, of low Con A-binding capacity, migrated in higher numbers to recipient lymph nodes than less dense cells. Similarly, studies with thymocytes revealed no correlation between Con A-binding and lymph node-seeking propensity. Thus, although Con A significantly inhibits lymph node localization of lymphoid cells, migration to lymph nodes and Con A binding of normal lymphocytes are not directly correlated. The data do not support a hypothesis that normal T-cell migration to lymph nodes is promoted by Con A receptors on lymphocyte surfaces.