Burkitt's cells can be triggered by teleocidin to secrete interferon-gamma.
The secretion of interferon (IFN)-gamma by T lymphocytes is mediated by the synthesis of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and the availability of IL-2 receptors. Since some Burkitt's lymphoma lines express Tac antigen and can be triggered to secrete IL-2 following activation with the new tumor promoter teleocidin, we addressed the question of whether the induction of IL-2 by B lymphocytes is accompanied by the induction of IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma has not been detected in any of the 25 cell lines studied, and following stimulation with teleocidin, we triggered the synthesis of IFN-gamma in JLP(C), a pre-Burkitt's cell line. The mechanism of IFN-gamma secretion by B lymphocytes is not clear. Our findings demonstrate that the synthesis of IL-2 by B cells is not accompanied by IFN-gamma and suggest that the synthesis of IFN-gamma is not mediated by IL-2 or IL-1 or B-cell growth factor. Neutralization studies have shown that IFN-gamma secretion is not accompanied by the induction of IFN-alpha or IFN-beta. Our data imply that B cells can be triggered to secrete IFN-gamma under certain circumstances. Whether similar function occurs in vivo is not known.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008235:Lyngbya Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009500:Neutralization Tests
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006133:Growth Substances; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D008235:Lyngbya Toxins; D015847:Interleukin-4; C022176:teleocidins; D007371:Interferon-gamma