title: The phenotypic and molecular characterization of Nb2 lymphoma cells activated with IL-2 and human growth hormone.
abstract: The Nb2 rat lymphoma cell line has the unique property that its growth is dependent on lactogenic pituitary hormones. Cell surface staining with monoclonal antibodies showed expression of class I MHC alloantigens of the RT1u haplotype, but no expression of class II MHC antigens. Staining for differentiation markers was strongly positive with antibodies OX52, W3/13 and OX44. Partial and weaker staining was obtained with CD2, P4/16 and the transferrin receptor. Nb2 cells were negative with CD5, OX40 and CD4, whilst CD8 stained only a minor fraction (1%) and certain variant clones of the cell line. This general pattern of staining is consistent with the phenotype of a small subpopulation of immature T cells. Nb2 cells proliferated in response to recombinant human IL-2, although they did not stain with antibodies against the IL-2 receptor. Enhancement of the stimulation by IL-2 in the presence of a submitogenic concentration of hGH indicated a synergism between these two hormones, and responses were suppressed by a similar dose of cyclosporin A (ID50=2 microg/ml). Although IL-2 could not be identified in culture supernatants, the presence of mRNA for IL-2, IL-2R and IL-4 was demonstrated by dot blot analysis. Finally, evidence that the Nb2 lymphoma is of T-cell lineage was given by Northern blot detection of mRNA for the alpha and beta chains of the T-cell receptor.
authors.affiliation: MRC Tuberculosis and Related Infections Unit, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ivanyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016572:Cyclosporine