Expression of functional interleukin 2 receptors on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia B lymphocytes is modulated by recombinant interleukin 2.
In 16 of 18 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients examined, a significant proportion of B cells in the leukaemic clone bound monoclonal antibodies specific for the interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor site (CD25). B lymphocytes from patients tested showed a direct response to recombinant interleukin (rIL-2) during culture in vitro as shown by: (a) a ligand-mediated upregulation in the level of IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression (12 of 12 patients), (b) an increase in cell size (eight of nine patients), (c) an increase in 3H-thymidine uptake (four of six patients). Taken together, this evidence suggests that the majority of leukaemic B cells from all the CLL patients examined expressed functional IL-2 receptors in vitro. Intriguingly, maximal receptor upregulation or increase in cell size was achieved at a lower concentration (50 u/ml) of rIL-2 than was required to achieve maximal 3H-thymidine incorporation.
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins