Kaposi's sarcoma cells: long-term culture with growth factor from retrovirus-infected CD4+ T cells.
Studies of the biology and pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) have been hampered by the inability to maintain long-term cultures of KS cells in vitro. In this study AIDS-KS-derived cells with characteristic spindle-like morphology were cultured with a growth factor (or factors) released by CD4+ T lymphocytes infected with human T-lymphotropic virus type I or II (HTLV-I or HTLV-II) or with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 or 2 (HIV-1 or HIV-2). Medium conditioned by HTLV-II-infected, transformed lines of T cells (HTLV-II CM) contained large amounts of this growth activity and also supported the temporary growth of normal vascular endothelial cells, but not fibroblasts. Interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulated the growth of the KS-derived cells, but the growth was only transient and these could be distinguished from that in HTLV-II CM. Other known endothelial cell growth promoting factors, such as acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors and epidermal growth factor, did not support the long-term growth of the AIDS-KS cells. The factor released by CD4+ T cells infected with human retroviruses should prove useful in studies of the pathogenesis of KS.
Nakamura
S
S
Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Salahuddin
S Z
SZ
Biberfeld
P
P
Ensoli
B
B
Markham
P D
PD
Wong-Staal
F
F
Gallo
R C
RC
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D006133:Growth Substances