Retroviral expression of the human IL-2 gene in a murine T cell line results in cell growth autonomy and tumorigenicity.
In mature T lymphocytes (T cells) the regulated expression of the genes for interleukin-2 (IL-2) and its receptor (IL-2R) constitutes an essential part in controlling the cell growth. Evidence has been provided which suggests the involvement of an aberrant function of the IL-2 system in developing T cell neoplasms, particularly the adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). As an approach to examine the extent of the IL-2 system contribution to T cell neoplasms, we created the experimental conditions wherein both IL-2 and IL-2R are expressed constitutively in a murine T cell line. We made use of a retroviral vector to infect an IL-2-dependent CTLL-2 line and lead to the expression of human IL-2. Here, we show that the virus-infected cells not only proliferate in vitro in the absence of exogenously supplied IL-2 under certain conditions, but also develop tumors (lymphomas) in nude and syngeneic mice.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection
D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2