title: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha as a proliferative signal for an IL-2-dependent T cell line: strict species specificity of action.
abstract: The ability of TNF-alpha to stimulate T cell proliferation was examined. We demonstrate that murine rTNF-alpha induces the proliferation of CT6, a murine T cell line previously thought to be responsive only to IL-2. This activity appears to be the result of the direct action of murine rTNF-alpha on the CT6 cells because neither 1) murine IL-2 or murine IL-4, lymphokines also capable of inducing CT6 proliferation, were detected in culture supernatants from murine rTNF-alpha-treated CT6 cells nor 2) did antibodies specific for IL-2 or IL-4 inhibit murine rTNF-alpha-induced CT6 proliferation. Unlike many of the activities displayed by TNF-alpha, its ability to induce CT6 cell proliferation shows strict species specificity as indicated by the failure of human rTNF-alpha to stimulate these cells. Flow cytometric analysis and binding of radiolabeled TNF-alpha have indicated that receptors for TNF-alpha on these cells are specific for murine TNF-alpha. The ability of murine rTNF-alpha to induce the proliferation of certain T cell lines further indicates that this molecule plays an important role in regulation of T cell-mediated immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Immunology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ranges
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bombara
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Aiyer
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Palladino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha