CYCLIC ADENOSINE-MONOPHOSPHATE RESPONSE TO PROSTAGLANDIN-E2 ON SUB-POPULATIONS OF HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES

Receptors for prostaglandin E2 [PGE2] or histamine were measured on subpopulations of human lymphocytes using the cyclic[c]AMP increase after exposure to prostaglandin or histamine as an indicator for the presence of receptors. The cAMP response to PGE2 was similar in unfractionated lymphocytes and the T[thymus-derived]cell-enriched and T cell-depleted fractions. Within the T cell-enriched population, T cells bearing a receptor for the Fc portion of Ig[immunoglobulin]G (T.gamma. cells) had a 27.4-fold rise in cAMP after exposure to PGE2, whereas the remaining T cells (non-T.gamma. cells) had a 4-fold increase. PG receptors are probably concentrated on a small subfraction of T.gamma. cells, comprising .apprx. 15% of the T-cell population. The cAMP response to histamine was < 2-fold in all lymphocyte fractions.