Lymphocyte Transforming Activity in the Serum of Patients with Hepatic Disease

The stimulating effect of serum of patients with hepatic disease on normal peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured in vitro was studied. In 25 out of 27 patients serum stimulated lymphocyte transformation as determined morphologically and by increased uptake of 3 H‐thymidine and 3 H‐cytidine. Rapidly increasing RNA synthesis was found during the first 24 h of incubation. DNA synthesis was found to be at its maximum between days 3 and 4. The behaviour of the serum of patients found to be positive for Australia antigen and patients with other hepatic disease was comparable. It was demonstrated that the factor in serum which initiates lymphocyte transformation, is in the globulin fraction.