Leukemic cells from some adult T-cell leukemia patients proliferate in response to interleukin-4.
The proliferative response of fresh peripheral blood leukemic cells from eight adult T cell leukemia (ATL) patients to interleukin-4 (IL-4) was studied to determine the possibility that the IL-4-mediated T-cell growth pathway is involved in the cell growth of leukemic cells in ATL. Resting lymphocytes from ten normal individuals did not proliferate in response to IL-4. Leukemic cells from two ATL patients did not respond to interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-4. Leukemic cells from two patients did respond to IL-2, but not to IL-4. In contrast, a strong proliferative response was observed in the IL-4 culture, but not in the IL-2 culture in the remaining four patients. Chromosome analysis of mitotic cells, performed in one of four patients, confirmed that the cells dividing in response to IL-4 were leukemic cells, but not activated normal lymphocytes. These results indicate the activation of IL-4/IL-4 receptor system in leukemic cells from some ATL patients and suggest the possible involvement of the system in the proliferation of leukemic cells and the leukemogenesis in ATL.
Uchiyama
T
T
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Kamio
M
M
Kodaka
T
T
Tamori
S
S
Fukuhara
S
S
Amakawa
R
R
Uchino
H
H
Araki
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007621:Karyotyping; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D015847:Interleukin-4