title: Basophilic differentiation of the human leukemia cell line KU812 upon treatment with interleukin-4.
abstract: The human leukemia cell line KU812 had been described as an immature prebasophilic cell line and exhibits a potential to differentiate into mature basophils. We studied the effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the basophilic differentiation of KU812 cells. When KU812 cells were cultured with 1 ng/ml IL-4, cellular histamine content increased more than 10-fold. IL-4 also enhanced the expression of Fc epsilon RI alpha, a high affinity IgE receptor, on the cell surface. KU812 cells treated with IL-4 expressed higher levels of Fc epsilon RI alpha, Fc epsilon RI beta and Fc epsilon RI gamma mRNA than non treated KU812 cells. After 21 days in culture with IL-4, KU812 cells became morphologically mature basophilic cells as demonstrated by staining positive for cytoplasmic granules and heparin proteoglycan by Wright dye and toluidin blue dye respectively. In addition, IgE-mediated histamine release was observed, suggesting that the Fc epsilon RI induced by IL-4 was functional and was able to transduce a signal for degranulation. These results suggest that IL-4 promotes differentiation of KU812 cells into mature basophilic cells both morphologically and functionally.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Genetic Resources Technology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachibana
mesh_terms: D001491:Basophils / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E