Upregulation of T cell receptor gamma chain transcription by interleukin-2.
Signals involved in TcR gene rearrangement and expression are poorly understood. The ability of interleukin 2 to control TcR gamma gene expression was examined. Precursor thymocytes grown in the presence of IL-1 and Con A develop to CD3+ T cells that express either the TcR alpha/beta or gamma/delta complex on the cell surface (1). We show here that a major subpopulation of these cells are CD4-/CD8-, gamma/delta cells expressing only low levels of TcR gamma transcripts, compared to TcR delta mRnA or to TcR gamma mRNA of gamma/delta cells grown from precursor thymocytes with IL-2 and Con A. The cells cultured with IL-1 and lectin then strongly reacted to IL-2 by upregulating the steady-state level of TcR gamma mRNA. Our findings indicate that IL-2 upregulates TcR gamma transcription by transcriptional regulatory effects in this in vitro system.
Gotlieb
W H
WH
Unit of Special Projects, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Bristol
L A
LA
Weissman
A M
AM
Durum
S K
SK
Takács
L
L
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta