Inducible lymphokines of T cell tumors.
T lymphocytes comprise a major class of lymphocytes and are themselves functionally heterogeneous. Some T lymphocyte functions are mediated by soluble products called lymphokines. Different lymphokines promote the activation, growth and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, and hemopoietic cells. Lymphokine production is associated with, but not limited to, helper T cells, and usually follows antigenic or mitogenic stimulation. The recognition that some lymphokines are produced after stimulation of neoplastic T cells has proved advantageous in the study of these molecules. T cell tumors are monoclonal, grow easily in vitro, and may produce fewer lymphokines than normal T cells. Thus, the purification and biochemical and biological characterization of some lymphokines have been facilitated by the availability of these tumors. More recently, T cell tumors have been used for evaluating the molecular structure of lymphokine-encoding genes. They have also provided information relevant to our understanding of the nature of T cell neoplasia.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000276:immunology; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; D015847:Interleukin-4