title: Expression of interleukin 2 receptors on activated human B cells.
abstract: Using anti-Tac, a monoclonal anti-interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor antibody, we have explored the possibility that certain activated B cells display receptors for IL-2. Resting normal B cells and unselected B cell lines established from normal individuals were Tac antigen negative. In contrast, the cell surface Tac antigen expression was demonstrable on 6 of 10 B cell lines from patients with Burkitt's lymphoma, 5 of 6 B cell lines derived from patients with HTLV-I-associated adult T cell leukemia (including all four that had integrated HTLV-I into their genome), and on certain normal B cells activated with pokeweed mitogen. Furthermore, cloned Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines derived from Tac-positive normal B cells continued to express the Tac antigen in long-term cultures and manifested high affinity IL-2 receptors identified in binding studies with purified radiolabeled IL-2. The line 5B4 developed in the present study could be induced with purified JURKAT-derived or recombinant IL-2 to express a larger number of IL-2 receptors. Furthermore, the addition of IL-2 to the 5B4 B cell line augmented IgM synthesis, which could be blocked by the addition of anti-Tac. The size of the IL-2 receptors expressed on the cloned normal B cell lines was similar (53,000-57,000 daltons) to that of receptors on phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T cell lymphoblasts. Thus, certain malignant and activated normal B cells display the Tac antigen and manifest high affinity receptors for IL-2. These data suggest that IL-2 may play a role in the differentiation of activated B cells into immunoglobulin-synthesizing and -secreting cells.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000502:physiology; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7