Selective enhancement of human IgE production in vitro by synergy of pokeweed mitogen and mercuric chloride

Selective stimulation of IgE production by pokeweed mitogen (PWM) plus mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) was further investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) from non-atopic donors, who are high and low responders to PWM stimulation with respect to IgG, IgM and IgA production, and from various patients with elevated serum IgE levels. Non-atopic high responders showed a strong selective increase in IgE plaque forming cells (PFC) without changes in IgG, IgM and IgA PFC, whereas low responders showed a slight increase in IgE PFC only when B cells were co-cultured with mitomycin C (MMC)-treated T cells. In patients with elevated serum IgE levels, PWM plus HgCl₂ caused a variable selective increase in IgE PFC, however, there was no correlation between IgE PFC production and serum IgE levels.