title: B cell stimulatory factor-1/interleukin-4 mRNA is expressed by normal and transformed mast cells.
abstract: BSF-1/interleukin-4, a product of activated T cells, has multiple biological activities that affect cells of most hematopoietic lineages. Among these is the ability of BSF-1 to costimulate the growth of mast cells and regulate the production of IgE. We demonstrate here that BSF-1 mRNA is expressed by a majority of transformed mast cell lines and by 5 IL-3-dependent non-transformed mast cell lines. BSF-1 activity, including the ability to enhance the growth of IL-3-dependent mast cells, was detected in the supernatants of transformed mast cells. The role of BSF-1 as a mast cell growth factor, its constitutive production by transformed mast cells, and the lack of IL-3 production by most of these cells raise the possibility that BSF-1 may act as an autocrine growth factor for some transformed mast cells. Furthermore, production of BSF-1 mRNA by nontransformed cells indicates that mast cells may be an important physiologic source of this factor.
mesh_terms: D000011:Abelson murine leukemia virus; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate