title: Distinct effects of phorbol esters and exogenous diacylglycerols in the induction of murine thymocyte proliferation.
abstract: Murine thymocytes were stimulated with the protein kinase C activating agents Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or a more physiological membrane permeant diacylglycerol (dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol, DiC8) in the presence or absence of exogenous lymphokines (rIL-1 beta, rIL-2). Whereas PMA directly induced reactivity to rIL-2, DiC8 did not but had to synergize with the calcium ionophore Ionomycin. Expression of the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor behaved similarly. In the absence of exogenous rIL-2, thymocytes proliferated in response to a combination of Ionomycin and PMA; however, replacing PMA by a single addition of DiC8 did not result in proliferation. Stimulation with Ionomycin plus repeated addition of DiC8 induced a low level of thymocyte proliferation and further addition of rIL-1 beta resulted in a significant increase. Purified immature (L3T4-Lyt2-) thymocytes behaved similarly, but showed an increased sensitivity to rIL-1 beta. Taken together, the data support the idea that PMA and the more physiological diacylglycerols do not possess totally equivalent activities in lymphocyte stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stoeck
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009550:Nigericin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004075:Diglycerides; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C044295:1,2-dioctanoylglycerol; C012410:lonomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D009550:Nigericin