A novel cofactor produced by a thymic epithelial cell line: promotion of proliferation of immature thymic lymphocytes by the presence of interleukin-1 and various mitogens.
Three thymic epithelial cell lines (TEC1C5, TEC1-4, and TEC2-3) were established from the thymus of newborn C57BL/6 mice. TEC1C5 was revealed to be an interleukin (IL)-1 producing cell line. TEC1-4 produced a cofactor to promote proliferation of double negative (CD4-8-) thymic lymphocytes by the presence of IL-1. Production of the same cofactor was also seen in TEC2-3, but only when it was cultured by the presence of indomethacin. The chemical analysis of the TEC1-4 culture supernatant by ion-exchange column and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the factor was approximately 35 kDa in molecular weight. The present study revealed that a factor produced by TEC1-4 acted as a cofactor to promote the proliferation of immature T cells stimulated by IL-1 and various mitogens and was considered to be a new one in terms of molecular weight.
Kasai
M
M
Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Japan.
Hirokawa
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008934:Mitogens