title: Interleukins 2 and 3 regulate the in vitro proliferation of two distinguishable populations of 20-alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-positive cells.
abstract: The ability of interleukin 2 (IL 2), interleukin 3 (IL 3), and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to induce the proliferation of cells from thymus, spleen, or bone marrow was examined and compared with their ability to induce expression of the enzyme 20-alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20 alpha SDH). In the thymus, the peanut agglutinin agglutinated cells (PNA+) lacked 20 alpha SDH and showed no detectable response to IL 2, IL 3, or GM-CSF in either proliferation or induction of 20 alpha SDH. In contrast, the PNA nonagglutinated (PNA-) subpopulation expressed 20 alpha SDH and proliferated in response to Con A and/or IL 2. The responding cells that could be expanded in vitro with IL 2 expressed high levels of 20 alpha SDH. Neither IL 3 nor GM-CSF in the presence or absence of Con A had a demonstrable effect on the PNA- population. In cultures of bone marrow cells, both IL 3 and GM-CSF induced proliferation, whereas IL 2 had no effect on proliferation in the presence or absence of Con A. Thy-1-depleted bone marrow cells, expanded in tissue culture with IL3, contained cells that co-expressed Thy-1 and 20 alpha SDH. In contrast, cells proliferating in vitro to GM-CSF did not expressed Thy-1 or 20 alpha SDH. In cultures of normal splenic lymphocytes, two populations of cells capable of expressing 20 alpha SDH were detected. One population could be expanded in vitro with IL 2 and Con A, whereas the second was responsive to IL 3. In spleens from athymic mice, only the latter cells were detected. These results demonstrate that IL 3 and IL 2 responsiveness distinguishes two populations of 20 alpha SDH cells. The relevance of these observations to the possible relationship of IL 3 and IL 2 in T cell differentiation is discussed.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hursey
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ihle
mesh_terms: D015089:20-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000276:immunology; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008222:Lymphokines; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015089:20-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases