Interleukin-7 is a growth factor of precursor B and T acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
We investigated the proliferation-inducing effects of human recombinant interleukin-7 (IL-7) on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. It is shown that IL-7 stimulates DNA synthesis in ALL cells of B-cell precursor (n = 5) as well as immature T-cell origin (n = 2). Cytogenetic analysis of the cells of four patients proliferating in IL7-supplemented cultures established the leukemic descendence of the IL-7-responsive cells. 125I-IL-7 binding experiments with the cells of one patient and with two ALL cell lines showed the presence of two types of IL-7 receptors: one with a high affinity (kd 29 to 51 pmol/L) and one with a low affinity (kd 2.3 to 76 nmol/L) for the ligand. We conclude that IL-7 is one of the cytokines involved in the complex regulation of ALL cell proliferation.
Touw
I
I
Dr Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Pouwels
K
K
van Agthoven
T
T
van Gurp
R
R
Budel
L
L
Hoogerbrugge
H
H
Delwel
R
R
Goodwin
R
R
Namen
A
A
Löwenberg
B
B
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D006133:Growth Substances; D015851:Interleukin-7; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7