title: Analysis of IL-2, IL-4 and their receptors in clonally-related cell lines derived from a patient with a progressive cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder.
abstract: Three clonally related T-cell lymphoma lines (PB-1, 2A, and 2B) were examined for expression of IL-2, IL-4, and their receptors. All three lines were derived from a single patient who had an atypical, progressive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder involving primarily skin (Davis, T.H. et al. 1992, N. Engl. J. Med. 326:1115). The PB-1 cell line was obtained from a relatively early, clinically indolent stage of the cutaneous lymphoma, whereas the 2A and 2B lines were established from a late, aggressive stage of the lymphoma. Reverse-transcriptase PCR performed with primer pairs specific for IL-2 and IL-4 showed that no mRNA coding for these cytokines was present in any of the lines with the exception of IL-4 mRNA in the 2A line. No IL-4 protein, however, was found in any of the cell lines including 2A by immunocytochemical staining with anti-IL-4 mAb. Accordingly, no bioactive IL-4 was present in the supernatants of these lines. In contrast, all three T-cell lymphoma lines contained mRNA for IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, IL-4R and common gamma chain. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that only the PB-1 line stained strongly with mAbs specific for IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-4R whereas the 2A and 2B lines showed only limited staining with these mAbs. In contrast to expression of IL-2R alpha and IL-4R primarily on the cell surface, IL-2R beta was localized mainly in the cell cytoplasm. Testing supernatants of the cell lines by ELISA for the presence of soluble alpha chain of the IL-2R (sIL-2R) has shown that only PB-1 secreted a large amount of sIL-2R, whereas the 2A and 2B lines secreted lesser amounts. Furthermore, the PB-1 cells expressed a relatively large number of IL-4R as determined by IL-4 binding studies using an IL-4-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein. The remaining two lines displayed only limited binding of IL-4. Addition of IL-2 and/or IL-4 to the culture medium did not modulate growth of PB-1 and the other two lines. These findings may indicate that at least some types of T-cell lymphoma evolve from cells which lose the capacity to synthesize T-cell autocrine growth factors such as IL-2 and IL-4, and show progressive loss of receptors for these cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wasik
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Seldin
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Butmarc
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gertz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maslinski
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kadin
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4; D015847:Interleukin-4