Interleukin 3-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell lines

Several biological phenotypes of growth factor-dependent cell lines have been described in recent years, including those with T lymphocyte, neutrophil granulocyte, basophil/mast cell, B lymphocyte, and multipotential stem cell properties. The growth factors for each cell lineage are a subject of intense study. Continuous mouse bone marrow cultures infected with RNA type C viruses (retroviruses) produce nonadherent hematopoietic cells over a longer duration than control cultures. Marrow cultures derived from strains with spontaneously induced ecotropic endogenous retrovirus demonstrate a greater longevity than those from strains with no replicating virus. Cultures infected with murine leukemia virus also generate a greater number, compared with controls, of cloned permanent suspension cell lines dependent for growth on a 41,000-dalton glycoprotein (interleukin 3 [IL 3]). Some are multipotential with capacity for differentiation to erythroid, neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil/mast cell types. Other cloned IL 3-dependent cell lines are committed to a single pathway. Studies with Friend spleen focus-forming virus indicate that the first effect in the marrow culture is mediated through a subset of adherent hematopoietic stem cells. Bone marrow culture-derived IL 3-dependent cell lines provide a model with which to study the role of viral genes in the control of differentiation and self-renewal capacity of hematopoietic stem cells.     

Molecular characterization of interleukin 2

The isolation of specific T cell growth factors termed interleukin 2 (IL 2) is changing the approach to understanding T cell function. This class of growth factors has allowed te establishment of a number of human and murine T cell lines. We summarize the biochemical properties of human and murine IL 2. Studies have been initiated to isolate mRNA encoding for IL 2. Such RNA can be translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates yielding IL. 2. This RNA may be useful for the development of probes to isolate lymphokine genes.     

Role of c-myc and other genes in interleukin 2 regulated CT6 T lymphocytes and their malignant variants

The cloned murine cytotoxic T cell line CT6 solely requires interleukin 2 (IL 2) for viability and cell cycle progression. Treatment of G arrested cultures of CT6 cells with recombinant IL 2 induces the rapid sequential expression of the nuclear proto-oncogenes c-fos, c-myc, and c-myb but does not affect the expression of several cytosolic or membrane-associated proto-oncogenes. A comparison of early genes induced by growth factor treatment of quiescent NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and CT6 cells demonstrated that only c-fos and c-myc induction is shared in the two different lineages. Factor-independent lines derived from CT6 cells show no mitogenic response to IL 2, yet binding of IL 2 with its receptor in the cells was capable of inducing the expression of c-fos and c-myc. In factor-independent cell lines, c-myc was uniformly expressed at high constitutive levels, suggesting that c-myc abrogates growth factor requirements of these cells. The levels of c-myc expression in the factor-independent lines was not due to an autocrine production of IL 2 but may be a consequence of constitutively activated IL 2 receptors.     

Nature and specificity of lymphokine independence induced by a selectable retroviral vector expressing v-src.

A murine retroviral vector, LSNLsrc, has been constructed and examined for its ability to induce growth factor independence in cells normally dependent on interleukin 2 (IL-2) or interleukin 3 (IL-3) for growth. The LSNLsrc vector coexpressed the v-src gene of Rous sarcoma virus and the neo gene from transposon Tn5, allowing infected cells to be selected on the basis of G418 resistance. The murine cell lines CTLL-2 and FD.C/1, which are dependent for growth on IL-2 and IL-3, respectively, were both readily infected with the LSNLsrc virus. LSNLsrc-infected, G418-resistant cultures of FD.C/1 cells were able to give rise to IL-3-independent progeny, but all G418-resistant CTLL-2 cells retained normal IL-2 dependence. The induction of IL-3 independence by v-src was not a direct event, since limiting dilution analysis of the LSNLsrc-infected FD.C/1 cells showed that most of them were IL-3 dependent, despite expression of v-src mRNA and active pp60v-src kinase. However, clones selected from this population in the presence of IL-3 were able to undergo a subsequent progression event and generate IL-3-independent progeny. The generation of factor-independent variants in the clonal cultures was a rare event, as witnessed by the death of most of the cells in each clone when IL-3 was withdrawn. Together, these data indicate that a secondary event, in addition to v-src expression, was required to generate IL-3-independent growth. No evidence was found for an autocrine mechanism of transformation involving IL-2, IL-3, interleukin 4, or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.     

The role of protein kinase C activation in signal transmission by interleukin 2

Role of protein kinase C (PKC) in interleukin (IL) 2-induced proliferation was investigated by utilizing two murine IL 2-dependent cell lines, CT6 and CTLL-2 cell lines. CT6 cells showed a marked proliferative response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), while CTLL-2 did not. PMA induced PKC translocation from cytosol to membrane only in a PMA-responsive cell line. IL 2 failed to stimulate PKC translocation in both cell lines. H-7, a potent and specific PKC inhibitor, however, inhibited the proliferation of both cell lines induced by IL 2. Taken collectively, IL 2 may induce PKC activation without its translocation.     

Production of interleukin 1 by adult T cell leukemia (ATL) cell lines

The accessory function for T cell activation and the production of interleukin 1 (IL 1) of adult T cell leukemia (ATL) cell lines were studied in vitro. ATL cell lines such as Hut-102, MT-1, and MT-2 functioned as accessory cells for the stimulation of human T cell proliferative response induced with concanavalin A (Con A) and induced allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. Cell lysates of three ATL cell lines and the culture supernatant of MT-2 cells had activities to stimulate murine thymocyte proliferative response. Then we studied physicochemical properties of the factors produced by MT-2 cells. The m.w. of the factors were approximately 15,000 by Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography, and their isoelectric point values were 5.4 and 4.8 by chromatofocussing technique. No fraction contained interleukin 2 (IL 2) activities to stimulate IL 2-dependent murine cytotoxic T cell line. The thymocyte-stimulating activities of the factors were absorbed with rabbit anti-IL 1 alpha antiserum, but not with anti-IL 1 beta antiserum. Furthermore, messenger RNA extracted from MT-2 cells hybridized to complementary DNA of IL 1 alpha, but not of IL 1 beta, by Northern blot hybridization analysis. The factors from MT-2 cells could stimulate the production of IL 2 and the expression of IL 2 receptors of human T cells in the presence of Con A as well as recombinant IL 1 alpha and IL 1 beta did, and these activities were also blocked by rabbit anti-IL 1 alpha antiserum, but not by anti-IL 1 beta antiserum. These results suggest that the factors produced by MT-2 cells correspond to IL 1 alpha. However, the accessory function of MT-2 cells for T cell activation was not blocked by rabbit anti-IL 1 antiserum. These results suggest that ATL cell lines produce IL 1-like factors, but the accessory function of ATL cell lines for T cell activation is mediated by some other mechanisms rather than by secreted IL 1-like factors.     

Retrovirus infection alters growth factor responses of T lymphocytes

A murine helper/inducer T cell clone, D10.G4, has been infected with Kirsten-murine sarcoma virus (KiSV) pseudotyped with an amphotropic murine leukemia virus. The resultant Ki-ras-expressing lines (KiSV-D10) remain dependent on exogenous factors for continued growth but display distinctly different mitotic responses to certain cytokines as compared to the uninfected parent clone. Unlike the parent D10.G4 cells, these KiSV-D10 cells can be maintained in vitro indefinitely in the presence of recombinant interleukin 2 (IL 2), and they all display a maximal proliferative response to purified or recombinant interleukin 1 (IL 1). The IL 1-induced proliferation is shown not to be dependent or secretion of the T cell autocrine growth factors IL 2 or B cell stimulatory factor-1 (BSF-1). The KiSV-D10 lines show certain differences from one another and parent D10.G4 cells in their secretory and proliferative responses to T cell receptor- and BSF-1 mediated signals. These viral oncogene-expressing T cell lines, which remain responsive to and dependent on physiologic growth factors, should prove valuable for analyzing the mechanisms of action of single oncogenes and the intracellular events in T lymphocyte activation.     

Glioblastoma cells release interleukin 1 and factors inhibiting interleukin 2-mediated effects

Studies were designed to investigate whether the cellular immunodeficiency state observed in human glioblastoma patients could be due to inhibitory factors released by the tumor cells. Cultured human glioblastoma cells were found to secrete an interleukin 1-like factor (m.w. 22,000) and a factor (m.w. 97,000) that inhibits interleukin 2 (IL 2)-dependent T cell mechanisms. This is demonstrated by its inhibitory effect on the IL 2-induced proliferation of T cell clones and on the induction of alloreactive cytotoxic T cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures. Additionally the glioblastoma cell-derived 97,000-m.w. factor inhibited growth of neuroblasts but not of fibroblasts and thus shares the characteristics of the neuroblast growth inhibition factor (NGIF) previously detected in the supernatant of fetal rat glia cell cultures. If released by glioblastoma cells in vivo, the factor may contribute to impaired immunosurveillance and to the cellular immunodeficiency state detected in the patients.     

The released interleukin 2 receptor binds interleukin 2 efficiently

The released interleukin 2 receptor (IL 2R) molecule was characterized in order to clarify its biochemical structure and to determine its functional capacity. Enzymatic digestions demonstrated that the released IL 2R, like the cell surface IL 2R, is a complex glycoprotein, modified by the addition of both N- and O-linked carbohydrates and sialic acid residues. It has a peptide backbone that is approximately 10 Kd smaller than that of its membrane-associated counterpart. Affinity chromatography demonstrated that released IL 2R from either an HTLV-I-positive T cell line (HUT-102) or PHA-activated normal peripheral lymphocytes binds efficiently to purified recombinant IL 2. Furthermore, the interaction between the growth factor and the released receptor does not appear to require any accessory molecules. These observations suggest a potentially significant role for the released IL 2R in the regulation of IL 2-dependent lymphocyte functions.     

Epidermal cells synthesize a cytokine with interleukin 3-like properties

Interleukin 3 (IL 3) is produced by T lymphocytes and T cell lines (EL 4), as well as by a monomyelocytic cell line (WEHI 3), and it activates lymphocytes as well as mast cells. Recently we have demonstrated that epidermal cells (EC) perform monocyte/macrophage-like functions through the release of an interleukin 1-like immunomodulating mediator (EC-derived thymocyte activating factor; ETAF. Because mast cells predominantly are located in the skin, in the present study we investigated whether EC in addition to ETAF may produce IL 3. Normal as well as transformed keratinocytes were able to secrete an IL 3-like mediator (EC IL 3) that induces the proliferation of IL 3-dependent cell lines. Furthermore, both EC IL 3 and WEHI IL 3 have a similar m.w. of 30,000. In addition, an antibody against IL 3 also blocked EC IL 3 activity, suggesting that these molecules appear to be very similar. EC IL 3 production was greatly enhanced by the addition of concanavalin A, phorbol myristate acetate, lipopolysaccharide, and silica. Factor production was completely blocked by inhibiting protein synthesis. These findings demonstrate that keratinocytes synthesize an additional cytokine with the biologic and biochemical properties of IL 3, but distinct from ETAF. Thus, through the production of EC IL 3, EC may participate in the activation of mast cells and thereby mediate inflammatory as well as hypersensitivity reactions.     

Growth of an interleukin 2/interleukin 4-dependent T cell line induced by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)

Lymphokine activities in conditioned medium from activated helper T cell lines are most commonly defined by the proliferation of "specific" lymphokine-dependent cell lines. Various sublines of IL 2-dependent (and ostensibly specific) HT-2 and CTLL cells have now been shown to proliferate in response to BSF-1/IL 4 as well. After activation with antigen or mitogen, D10.G4.1, an antigen-specific cloned T helper cell that has recently been shown to produce IL 4 but not IL 2, secretes two distinct cytokines that induce the growth of HT-2 cells. These "T cell growth factors" (TCGF) can be separated by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The TCGF activity of one of these factors can be blocked by 11B11, an antibody specific for IL 4. The second TCGF activity is not affected by 11B11 or by antibodies specific for IL 2. This TCGF activity can be neutralized by a goat polyclonal antibody to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and has a RP-HPLC elution profile identical to that of recombinant GM-CSF. Recombinant GM-CSF induces both proliferation and long-term growth of HT-2 but not CTLL cells, and this activity can be neutralized by the same antibody to GM-CSF. GM-CSF is best known as a factor that induces the maturation and growth of granulocytes and macrophages from bone marrow-derived hematopoietic precursor cells. The ability of GM-CSF to induce the growth of certain T cell lines indicates that this molecule may play a role in T cell-mediated immune responses, either as an autocrine growth factor or a paracrine stimulus from both lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues that produce this cytokine.     

Interleukin 1 alpha and interleukin 1 beta bind to the same receptor on T cells

Pure, E. coli-derived recombinant murine interleukin 1 alpha (IL 1 alpha) was labeled with 125I and used for receptor binding studies. The 125I-IL 1 binds to murine EL-4 thymoma cells in a specific and saturable manner. Scatchard plot analysis for binding studies carried out at 4 degrees C reveals a single type of high affinity binding site with an apparent dissociation constant of approximately 2.6 X 10(-10) M and the presence of approximately 1200 binding sites per cell. The rate of association of the 125I-IL 1 with EL-4 cells is slow, requiring more than 3 h to reach apparent steady state at 4 degrees C. Cell-bound 125I-IL 1 cannot be dissociated from EL-4 cells upon removal of unbound 125I-IL 1 and incubation of the cells at 4 degrees C in the presence or absence of unlabeled IL 1. Unlabeled recombinant murine IL 1 competes for 125I-IL 1 binding in a dose-dependent manner, whereas interferon-alpha A, interleukin 2 (IL 2), epidermal growth factor, and nerve growth factor have no effect. The 125I-IL 1 binding site is sensitive to trypsin, suggesting that it is localized on the cell surface. We have also examined the ability of purified recombinant human IL 1 alpha and IL 1 beta to compete for binding of the radiolabeled murine IL 1 to its receptor and to stimulate IL 2 production by EL-4 cells. Previous reports have shown that human IL 1 alpha is approximately 60% homologous in amino acid sequence with murine IL 1, but that human IL 1 beta is only about 25% homologous with either murine IL 1 or human IL 1 alpha. Despite these marked differences, however, we report here that both human IL 1 proteins are able to recognize the same binding site as mouse IL 1. In addition, murine as well as both human IL 1 proteins stimulate IL 2 production by EL-4 cells.     

Expression of interleukin 2 receptors on interleukin 3-dependent cell lines

Several mouse IL 3-dependent cell lines, IC2, LT4, FDC-P2, and PB-3C, derived from spleen or bone marrow cells were shown to express low affinity receptors for IL 2 (Kd; 0.5 to 8 X 10(-8) M). High affinity receptors for IL 2 were not detected on the IL 3-dependent cells within the experimental limitation of this study. The clones did not respond to IL 2 at all at the concentration as high as 25 micrograms/ml. The number of the receptors expressed on those clones was estimated to be 0.2 to 2 X 10(5)/cell, which is comparable with the number of those on IL 2-dependent T cell clones. Expression of IL 2 receptor was confirmed in mRNA levels for both IC2 and LT4 cells. A relatively low level expression of one (4.5 Kb) of four IL 2 receptor mRNA species was observed with those IL 3-dependent clones compared with IL 2-dependent T cells. It seems that these low affinity receptors may be expressed on IL 3-dependent cells that undergo differentiation or maturation in mast cell and some myeloid cell lineages.     

Characterization and partial purification of a specific interleukin 2 inhibitor

To investigate the mechanisms that regulate the action of interleukin 2 (IL 2) and possibly limit its activity, we screened supernatants of mouse spleen cell cultures which had been stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) for their ability to inhibit IL 2-mediated proliferation of a cloned IL 2-dependent line. Inhibitory activities with m.w. of 10,000 to 12,000 and 60,000 to 80,000 daltons could be identified in supernatants of both L3T4+ and Ly-2+ T cells, but not in supernatants of Con A or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated B cells. Maximal inhibitory activity was observed after 3 to 4 days of stimulation, and this inhibitory activity could be overcome by increasing the stimulatory concentration of IL 2. When the factor was further purified by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography, it eluted as a single peak with an m.w. of 11,000 to 12,000 daltons which inhibited IL 2- but not IL 3-dependent proliferation. The mechanisms by which this new lymphokine might play in the control of the clonal expansion of T lymphocytes are discussed.     

The induction of lymphokine synthesis and cell growth in IL 3-dependent cell lines using antigen-antibody complexes

Several IL 3-dependent murine bone marrow-derived cell lines can be stimulated to grow with antigen-antibody (Ag.Ab) complexes. The Ag.Ab complexes induced lymphokine gene expression and the synthesis of IL 2, GM-CSF, IL 3, and BSF-1 (IL 4). The lymphokines produced by these IL 3-dependent cells appeared to stimulate their own growth, as both IL 3 and BSF-1 (IL 4) stimulated the growth of IL 3-dependent cells. Ag.Ab complexes also stimulate the growth of primary cultures of bone marrow cells that have been previously activated with IL 3. Normal bone marrow, IL 2-, and GM-CSF-dependent bone marrow cell lines could bind Ag.Ab complexes, but binding did not result in the induction of lymphokine synthesis or cell growth. Hyperimmune serum from mice also stimulated lymphokine synthesis and cell growth in IL 3-dependent cells, and the stimulatory activity was removed by treatment with Staphylococcus aureus protein A, suggesting the presence of Ag.Ab complexes.     

Induction of interleukin 2 from a murine B cell tumor by a factor found in immune serum

The murine B cell tumor line 2 PK-3 secretes T cell growth factor activity after incubation for 6 to 48 hr with a factor present in heterologous immune serum. T cell growth factor derived from 2 PK-3 was compared with IL 2 produced by the Con A-induced T lymphoma cell line EL-4 G12. These studies indicated that T cell growth factor activities derived from both cell lines were similar with respect to m.w., pI values, and the ability to support growth of two IL 2-dependent T cell clones. Three preparations of immune sera were found to be active in the induction of IL 2 activity from 2 PK-3 cells, including rabbit anti-mouse brain, rabbit anti-complete Freund's adjuvant, and goat anti-mouse Ig. None of these preparations, however, induced IL 2 from EL-4 G12 cells. It was also observed that LPS synergized with immune serum to produce enhanced activity. Normal sera prepared from unimmunized animals were not active in the induction of IL 2 activity. Fractionation of immune serum on protein A Sepharose suggested that the IL 2-inducing agent is not IgG.     

High-affinity interleukin 2 receptor alpha and beta chains are internalized and remain associated inside the cells after interleukin 2 endocytosis.

High-affinity interleukin 2 (IL2) receptors on human T lymphocytes are multimeric complexes containing two IL2-binding polypeptides, alpha and beta chains of 50-55 and 70-75 kDa, respectively, associated by noncovalent bonds. IL2 binds to high-affinity IL2 receptors on the surface of T lymphocytes, mediates cell growth, and is internalized. In this paper, we used a biochemical method to directly identify the receptors components internalized together with the ligand. 125I-IL2-receptor complexes were solubilized with the detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonate, and IL2-binding polypeptides were identified by cross-linking with disuccinimidyl suberate. Under such conditions, the noncovalent association between alpha and beta is maintained. After IL2 internalization, two complexes of about 70 and 90 kDa, IL2 crosslinked to alpha and beta, respectively, were found inside the cells. Both components were immunoprecipitated with either anti-alpha or anti-beta monoclonal antibodies. This shows that the alpha and beta chains are found in an intracellular compartment after IL2 endocytosis, and remain associated as a ternary complex with IL2.     

Effect of interleukin 2 on cytotoxic effectors: II. Long-term culture of NK cells

The present study reports the establishment of an NK (natural killer) cell line, designated as IL2-CE1. This cell line was maintained in active growth in culture with the supplementation of interleukin 2 (IL2). The cells gave cytotoxicity against a variety of murine tumors. There was no detectable cytotoxicity against three human tumors tested. The reactivity obtained with the murine tumors was generally correlated with the sensitivity of these tumor cells to NK cytotoxicity. With few exceptions, the reactivity was much higher for NK-sensitive targets like YAC and RL♂ 1 cells. There was very little cytotoxicity against NK-resistant targets like P815 and HFL/d. The reactivity of the effectors against YAC was susceptible to trypsin treatment and this effect was reversible. In determining the surface markers of IL2-CE1 cells, it was shown that over 90% of the cells had Thy-1.2 antigen despite their resistance to the lytic effect of anti-Thy-1.2 antibody. There were no detectable surface Ig or Fc receptors. Therefore, the IL2-CE1 cells were consistent with being NK cells. Although these cells gave high levels of cytotoxicity against murine tumors, in the tumor neutralization tests the IL2-CE1 cells failed to give any protection against an immunosensitive leukemic line, FBL-3. After the IL2-CE1 cells were cloned, it was found that different NK clones showed variations in their fine specificity. Our finding supports the presence of different populations or subsets of NK cells. Establishment of these NK clones in long-term culture should be helpful for the detailed characterization of the NK cells and aid in the determination of their significance in the immune surveillance against neoplasia.