Interleukin-9: a T-cell growth factor with a potential oncogenic activity.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
J Van Snick
Publications and source records attributed to J Van Snick.
Functional interaction between interleukin-9/P40 and interleukin-4 in the induction of IgE production by normal human B lymphocytes.
Interleukin-4 (IL-4) has been shown to induce a high rate of IgE production by normal B lymphocytes from peripheral blood without preactivation of these cells. In the present study, significant IgE production was observed at the concentration of 30 U/mL IL-4 (0.5 ng IgE/mL), and a plateau value was reached at 300 U/mL (1.2 ng IgE/mL). In these experiments, recombinant human (rh) and murine (rm) interleukin-9/P40 (IL-9/P40) were unable to induce such an IgE production by human B lymphocytes. However, in the presence of a suboptimal dose of IL-4 (100 U/mL), both rh and rm IL-9/P40 enhanced the IgE production in a dose-dependent manner (from 3 to 1000 U/mL). Under these experimental conditions, the slight but significant (p < 0.01, Student's t test) production of IgG (50 ng/mL) was also potentiated when the cell cultures were performed in the presence of 300 U/mL of IL-9/P40. The IL-4-induced IgG and IgM production by purified B lymphocytes preactivated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I was also potentiated in the presence of 300 U/mL of rh IL-9/P40, indicating a direct effect of this cytokine on this cell type. In contrast, IgE production by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I-activated B lymphocytes was never observed. Taken together these data suggested a direct role for IL-9/P40 in the regulation of immunoglobulin production by B lymphocytes.
Animals↗
Expression cloning of the murine and human interleukin 9 receptor cDNAs.
Interleukin 9 (IL-9) is a T-cell-derived lymphokine that induces the proliferation of various lymphoid and hemopoietic cells. A cDNA clone encoding the murine IL-9 receptor was isolated by expression cloning in COS cells and screening with 125I-labeled IL-9. Transient expression of this cDNA produced high-affinity binding sites for IL-9. The predicted 52-kDa protein contains a putative signal peptide and a typical transmembrane domain. A cDNA for the human homologue was isolated by cross-hybridization. Transfection of this cDNA in a murine T-cell clone conferred responsiveness to human IL-9. Sequence analysis revealed that the IL-9 receptor belongs to the recently described hematopoietin receptor super-family and is expressed in membrane-bound and soluble forms.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
IL-2 dependence of IL-9 expression in human T lymphocytes.
Human IL-9 is a T cell-derived lymphokine that is abundantly expressed upon activation with mitogens. The observation that IL-9 induction peaks as late as 28 h after stimulation suggested the involvement of secondary signals in this process. The finding reported here that IL-9 expression is blocked by cycloheximide strongly supports this hypothesis. Moreover, we identify IL-2 as the critical element controlling IL-9 expression in T cells. We show (i) that anti-IL-2R antibodies block IL-9 expression in T cells stimulated with PMA and anti-CD3 and (ii) that IL-2, of a panel of cytokines, is the only molecule that synergizes with PMA for IL-9 induction. The latter finding is confirmed in a T cell leukemia line. Finally, we demonstrate that IL-2 plays a regulatory role in the induction of other cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and granulocyte/macrophage-CSF, in fresh peripheral T cells.
Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
Expression of the murine interleukin 6 receptor in hepatoma cells: the intracytoplasmic domain is not required for interleukin 6 signal transduction.
This paper reports on cDNA coding for the 80-kDa murine IL6 receptor (mIL6R) that was cloned from a mouse liver cDNA library. Human hepatoma Hep3B cells transfected transiently or stably with an expression vector carrying the entire coding region for mIL6R become responsive to mouse IL6 (mIL6). We monitored response to the cytokine through the transcriptional activation of a co-transfected IL6-inducible human C-reactive protein (CRP) promoter; response to mIL6 is lost upon treatment of the cells with increasing amounts of a monoclonal antibody to mIL6R. mIL6R mutants have been generated in the carboxy-terminal portion of the molecule. Their functional analysis in hepatoma cells shows that the intracytoplasmic domain of the receptor is not absolutely essential to IL6 signal transduction (i.e. CRP promoter activation), but that the last 40 amino acids contribute to maximal IL6 response in these cells.
Animals↗
Limited involvement of interleukin-6 in the pathogenesis of lethal septic shock as revealed by the effect of monoclonal antibodies against interleukin-6 or its receptor in various murine models.
Several studies in human patients and in laboratory animals have revealed a correlation between serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels and outcome in clinical sepsis and in related animal models, respectively. In the present study, two monoclonal antibodies were used to investigate the contribution of IL-6 in the lethal action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. We studied the potential protective properties of an anti-murine (m) IL-6 antibody and of an anti-mIL-6 receptor antibody. In controlled experiments, we observed that both monoclonal antibodies conferred a dose-dependent protection to a lethal dose of mTNF. Detailed studies with the monoclonal antibodies indicate, however, that protection was no longer observed when the mTNF dose was slightly higher than the lethal dose. Likewise, the anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody protected against injections of LPS at a lethal-dose concentration, but here too failed to protect against higher doses of LPS. The anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody was unable to protect against mTNF in mice sensitized by galactosamine, the corticoid receptor antagonist RU38486 or human (h) IL-1 beta. Protection did not correlate with the serum concentrations of IL-6. Finally, we demonstrate that hIL-6 injection did not change the sensitivity of mice towards mTNF. We conclude that, although IL-6 levels may be of value as a marker for the outcome in septic shock, this cytokine contributes only marginally in the pathogenesis leading to death. The small, but real, contribution of IL-6 in some situations might be due to its ability to up-regulate the level of TNF receptors.
Animals↗
Human growth factor for murine interleukin (IL)-9 responsive T cell lines: co-induction with IL-6 in fibroblasts and identification as LIF/HILDA.
Two mouse helper T cell clones that proliferate in response to murine interleukin (IL)-9 could also be grown in conditioned medium of stimulated human connective tissue cells. The activity was not due to known T cell growth factors including human IL-9, which is not effective on mouse cells. This growth-stimulatory activity for TS1 cells (GATS) was co-induced with IL-6 on normal fibroblasts and certain sarcoma cell lines stimulated with IL-1, double-stranded RNA, virus or phorbol ester. However, the conditions for optimal induction and the kinetics of production were found to be different for IL-6 and GATS. GATS from phorbol ester-stimulated human hepatosarcoma cells co-purified with IL-6, but could be separated from it by subsequent cation-exchange fast-protein liquid chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Homogeneous tumor cell-derived GATS was a 25-kDa protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, whereas IL-6 produced by these cells appeared in its 23-kDa form. Pure GATS was found to be inactive in the B cell hybridoma growth assay for IL-6. Finally, GATS was identified by NH2-terminal sequence analysis of the mature protein as leukemia inhibitory factor or human interleukin for DA cells (LIF/HILDA). The effect of LIF/HILDA on T cells was not mediated by IL-2, IL-4 or IL-9 production. Since this cytokine has not previously been reported to act on T cells, further investigation of its role in T cell activation should be taken into consideration.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Selective pathogenicity of murine rheumatoid factors of the cryoprecipitable IgG3 subclass.
To analyze the involvement of rheumatoid factors (RF) in the generation of cryoglobulins and the development of related tissue injuries, we have established a panel of anti-IgG2a RF mAbs derived from MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL-lpr), C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr, and 129/Sv mice. After injection of hybridoma cells to normal mice, all four IgG3 RF mAbs induced cryoglobulinemia, and various degrees of glomerulonephritis and skin leukocytoclastic vasculitis. In contrast, none of the RF mAbs of the other isotypes generated cryoglobulins or tissue lesions. Since the same observation was obtained with another panel of five clonally related anti-IgG2a RF mAbs of MRL-lpr origin with almost identical heavy and light chain variable (V) regions but five different isotypes, it seems unlikely that the absence of pathogenicity of non-IgG3 RF mAbs was due to differences in fine specificity or V framework regions. In addition, the analysis of serum RF in MRL-lpr mice has demonstrated that a majority of 4 month old MRL-lpr mice produced substantial amounts of IgG3 RF with cryoglobulin activity. Because the cryoglobulin activity is associated with the murine IgG3 heavy chain constant region, RF of this subclass may play a significant role in the development of autoimmune-related tissue injuries, especially in MRL-lpr mice.
Animals↗
Nomenclature for secreted regulatory proteins of the immune system (interleukins). WHO-IUIS Nomenclature Subcommittee on Interleukin Designation.
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Interleukins↗
Interleukin-9 expression in human malignant lymphomas: unique association with Hodgkin's disease and large cell anaplastic lymphoma.
To test the possibility that interleukin-9 (IL-9), the human homologue of the mouse T-cell growth factor P40, may be involved in the pathogenesis of human lymphomas, we examined IL-9 expression in a variety of tumors both by Northern blot analysis and by in situ hybridization. Of 18 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and 11 peripheral T-cell lymphomas, none expressed IL-9 message. By contrast, IL-9 message was found in two of six cases of large cell anaplastic lymphoma (LCAL) and in 6 of 13 cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD). In HD the strongest signals were observed in Hodgkin (H) and Sternberg-Reed (SR) cells, but IL-9 mRNA was also detected in small lymphocytic cells. A search for IL-9 message in a panel of 20 cell lines derived both from hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic tumors confirmed the unique association of IL-9 expression with HD and LCAL in as much as the only two cell lines with IL-9 message were derived from cases of HD and LCAL. These results suggest that IL-9 is not involved as an autocrine growth factor in the pathogenesis of most B- and T-cell lymphomas, but that it may play a role in HD and LCAL.
Blotting, Northern↗
Autonomous growth and tumorigenicity induced by P40/interleukin 9 cDNA transfection of a mouse P40-dependent T cell line.
To test the transforming potential of deregulated P40/Interleukin 9 expression, we transfected a mouse P40-dependent T cell line with P40 cDNA, and examined the tumorigenicity of the resulting transfectants. When the cells, which grew autonomously in vitro, were injected intraperitoneally or subcutaneously into syngeneic mice, a very high tumor incidence was observed with as few as 10(4) cells per inoculum. Animals died as a result of widespread dissemination of lymphomatous tissue to abdominal and thoracic organs. The same P40-dependent cell line transfected with a control construct did not form tumors even after injection of 10(7) cells. These results indicate that uncontrolled expression of P40 can support T cell proliferation in vivo, and may be a transforming event involved in the development of certain T cell tumors.
Animals↗
Identification of a murine monoclonal antibody specific for an allotypic determinant on mouse CD3.
A murine monoclonal antibody (mAb; 7D6) that was mitogenic for T cells was derived from 129/Sv animals immunized with a T helper clone from C57BL/6 origin. Fluoresceinated 7D6 labeled T cells from most common mouse strains but not from 129/Sv and LP/J animals, and this labeling was inhibited by the anti-CD3 epsilon mAb 145-2C11. The mitogenicity of 7D6 for T cells had a similar strain specificity. The antibody immunoprecipitated the T cell receptor (TcR) complex from a T cell hybridoma. After dissociation of this immunoprecipitate with detergents, the CD3 gamma and epsilon chains were retained by the 7D6 antibody. Immunoprecipitation data were also obtained with COS cells transfected with the CD3 gamma, delta or epsilon chains alone, in pairs or together. They confirmed that 7D6 bound the CD3 gamma epsilon pair, suggesting that the antibody recognizes a conformational epitope formed by gamma epsilon pairing, whereas 145-2C11 bound both gamma epsilon and delta epsilon pairs. These results, therefore, add to current information about TcR structure and subunit stoichiometry. We have demonstrated that the 7D6 mAb specifically binds to a CD3 dimer comprised of gamma and epsilon chains. We thus provide additional evidence that indicates that two CD3 epsilon chains are found within the receptor, one linked to CD3 gamma and the other to CD3 delta.
Animals↗
Regional localization of the human glutaminase (GLS) and interleukin-9 (IL9) genes by in situ hybridization.
Phosphate-activated glutaminase is found in mammalian small intestine, brain, and kidney, but not in liver. The enzyme initiates the catabolism of glutamine as the principal respiratory fuel in the small intestine, may synthesize the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain, and functions in the kidney to help maintain systemic pH homeostasis. Interleukin-9 (IL9) is a relatively new cytokine that supports the growth of helper T-cell clones, mast cells, and megakaryoblastic leukemia cells. cDNA clones have recently been obtained for each of these genes. The human loci for phosphate-activated glutaminase (GLS) and IL9 have previously been mapped to chromosomes 2 and 5, respectively, by analysis of somatic cell hybrid DNAs. By using chromosomal in situ hybridization, we have regionally mapped GLS to 2q32----q34 and IL9 to 5q31----q35.
Animals↗
Functional and biochemical characterization of mouse P40/IL-9 receptors.
The existence of saturable and specific binding sites for mouse P40/IL-9 was demonstrated on a variety of factor-dependent T cell lines derived from Th clones by long term culture in the presence of P40-containing T cell supernatants. Scatchard transformation of the data obtained with one such line was consistent with the existence of a single class of receptors with a Kd of approximately 100 pM and a density of 3000/cell. P40 binding to these cells was followed by rapid internalization of the ligand. P40-receptors (P40-R)3 were also found on certain Th clones maintained in conventional cultures, especially after stimulation with Ag and APC. Only T cell clones that proliferated in response to P40 showed significant levels of binding, suggesting that the regulation of P40-R expression is an important element in the control of P40-responsiveness. In accord with this idea, fresh T cells, cytolytic T cell clones and a wide variety of other cells including B cells and fibroblasts, which do not proliferate in response to P40, showed no significant binding. However, P40-R were not restricted to a few unusual Th clones. They were also detected on several T cell tumors, on macrophages and on mast cell lines. The latter point is of particular interest in view of the mast cell growth factor activity recently ascribed to P40. Cross-linking studies with T-cell lines and mast cells indicated that the P40-R consists of a 64-kDa glycoprotein, the molecular mass of which is reduced to 54 kDa on treatment with N-glycosidase F.
Animals↗
Mouse plasmacytoma growth in vivo: enhancement by interleukin 6 (IL-6) and inhibition by antibodies directed against IL-6 or its receptor.
Murine plasmacytomas show a striking dependence on interleukin 6 (IL-6) for their growth in vitro. Here, we present evidence suggesting that IL-6 also plays an essential role in the in vivo development of these tumors. This conclusion is based on the finding that the tumorigenicity of an IL-6-dependent plasmacytoma cell line was increased approximately 100-fold on transfection with an IL-6 expression vector, whereas it was inhibited in animals treated with monoclonal antibodies capable of blocking the binding of IL-6 to its receptor. Injection of these antibodies 1 d before tumor challenge protected greater than 50% of the mice and retarded tumor growth in all animals. Tumors arising in antibody-treated mice retained their IL-6 dependence in vitro, suggesting that the level of protection could be improved if stronger IL-6 antagonists were available.
Animals↗
Human P40/IL-9. Expression in activated CD4+ T cells, genomic organization, and comparison with the mouse gene.
P40 is a cytokine that was originally identified in the mouse as a T cell growth factor, but whose spectrum of potential targets was recently shown to include mast cells as well as megakaryoblastic leukemic cells. Given these multiple activities, it was proposed that the protein be renamed IL-9. The analysis of P40 genomic clones reported here shows that the human and mouse P40 genes consist of 5 exons spread over approximately 4 kb of DNA and organized in a similar fashion in both species. The two genes exhibit a high degree of identity in the coding sequence and in the 5' untranslated regions, which contain, among other consensus motifs, a conserved sequence for the binding of AP-1. Expression of human P40 was studied in PBMC. Treatment of the cells with PMA and a calcium ionophore induced strong expression of a 0.7-kb P40 mRNA. No message was detected in unstimulated cells or in cells stimulated with LPS or Staphylococcus aureus, indicating that P40 expression is not constitutive and suggesting that the gene is not easily activated in B lymphocytes and in monocytes. By contrast, T cell mitogens such as PHA or anti-CD3 antibodies induced a substantial P40 expression that was further enhanced in the presence of PMA. Cell fractionation experiments indicated that, under these conditions, the protein is preferentially induced in CD4+ T cells. The induction of P40 by anti-CD3 antibodies suggests that P40 production is part of the normal T cell response to antigenic stimulation.
Amino Acid Sequence↗