title: IL-7 regulation of cytotoxic lymphocytes: pore-forming protein gene expression, interferon-gamma production, and cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes subsets.
abstract: The effects of IL-7 on the generation of cytolytic human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were investigated. Induction of T-cell pore-forming protein (PFP) mRNA and cytotoxic potential by IL-7 was both slow and minor compared with that observed in IL-2-cultured T cells. IL-7 and suboptimal doses of IL-2 (10 U/ml) were found to costimulate PFP mRNA expression and cytotoxic potential in T cells. Clearly, however, both IL-7 and IL-2/IL-7 induced the PFP gene expression and cytotoxic potential of CD8+ T cells and not CD4+ T cells. In addition, neither monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to the p55 or p75 IL-2-receptor subunits had any effect upon IL-7 induction of CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity, indicating that IL-7 induction of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells was IL-2 independent. IL-7 induction of CD3- large granular lymphocyte (LGL) and PB gamma delta T-cell cytotoxicity was also delayed and reduced compared with that effected by IL-2. IL-7 (10 or 1000 U/ml, 72 hr) enhanced the NK and LAK cytotoxic of LGL and PB gamma delta T cells. By contrast IL-7 or IL-2 augmented the redirected cytotoxic potential of PB gamma delta T cells, but not that of LGL, and neither lymphokine had any effect on constitutive PFP mRNA expression in either lymphocyte subset. In addition, IL-7 induction of LGL IFN-gamma production was weak and delayed compared with that effected by IL-2 and neither IL-2 nor IL-7 stimulated IFN-gamma production in PB gamma delta T cells. Therefore, overall the effects of IL-2 and IL-7 on various cytotoxic human PBL were qualitatively similar, but quantitatively and kinetically different.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Maryland 21702-1201.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Norihisa
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gerard
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ortaldo
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015851:Interleukin-7; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D054353:Perforin; D007371:Interferon-gamma