title: Characterization of human leucocytes bearing the IL-3 receptor.
abstract: Human leucocytes from peripheral blood and tonsil were examined for the presence of the IL-3 receptor using monoclonal antibodies directed to epitopes of the alpha and beta chains of the receptor. We found that the beta chain, common to IL-3, IL-5, and GM-CSF, was either present at low levels or not detected on the majority of peripheral blood and tonsil B lymphocytes, while the alpha chain showed a distinct but restricted distribution. In peripheral blood the IL-3R alpha chain was limited to a subpopulation of peripheral B lymphocytes and a population of cells which lack lineage-specific markers. Dimly staining cells were identified as B lymphocytes as they coexpressed CD19, CD20, CD22, CD24, and HLA-DR. A brightly staining population lacks T and B lymphocyte, NK specific, and macrophage lineage markers but expresses CD9, CD45RO, CD26, and, in a proportion of cells, CD36 and CD60. This population remains unclassified. In tonsil tissue IL-3R alpha chain expression was strongest on B lymphocytes present in the T cell rich areas of tonsillar tissue. The IL-3R alpha bearing B tonsil cells included cells in both CD23 and IgD positive and negative populations. The phenotype of the IL-3R alpha positive B cells defines them as a population of B lymphocytes distinct from previously characterized cells in the lymphoid architecture. Lymphoblastoid cell lines with a corresponding phenotype were also identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Macardle
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weedon
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zola
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002469:Cell Separation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3