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S C Clark

Publications and source records attributed to S C Clark.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Human interleukin-3 inhibits the binding of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-5 to basophils and strongly enhances their functional activity.

The human T cell-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and IL-5 were examined for their ability to bind specifically to human basophils and to regulate their function. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding studies showed that IL-3 and GM-CSF, bound to basophils with apparent dissociation constants (KD) = 8 x 10(-11) M and 3.9 x 10(-11) M, respectively. Specificity studies under conditions that prevent receptor internalization showed that the binding of IL-3, GM-CSF, and IL-5 was not inhibited by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-1 beta, interferon (IFN)-gamma, or G-CSF. However, receptors for IL-3, GM-CSF, and IL-5 interacted with each other on the basophil membrane, showing a unique spectrum of cross-reactivity, with IL-3 competing for GM-CSF and IL-5 binding, whereas GM-CSF and IL-5 showed little or no competition for IL-3 binding. In order to relate the binding properties of these cytokines to function, they were tested for their ability to influence basophil histamine release in an IgE/anti-IgE-dependent system. We found a hierarchy in the stimulation of basophil with the order of potency being IL-3 greater than GM-CSF greater than IL-5. In addition, IL-3 stimulated larger amounts of histamine release than GM-CSF or IL-5. The observation that IL-3 interacts with receptors for GM-CSF and IL-5 may have a bearing on its stronger functional effects and suggests a major role for IL-3 in the pathogenesis of hypersensitivity syndromes.

Basophils↗

M-07e human leukemic factor-dependent cell line provides a rapid and sensitive bioassay for the human cytokines GM-CSF and IL-3.

We have isolated a subline of the M-07 human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line, designated M-07e, that requires either interleukin-3 (IL-3) or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for growth, even in the presence of fetal calf serum. This cell line will not grow long term in any other cytokine although it responds slightly to IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, and interferon-gamma. We have used the M-07e subline to develop a quantitative bioassay for the measurement of levels of either GM-CSF or IL-3. This assay is as sensitive to either factor as the human bone marrow colony assay (CFU-GM) or the chronic myelogeneous leukemic (CML) blast cell proliferation assay for these factors and is much more convenient and reliable than either. With this assay, as little as 25-50 pg/ml of either IL-3 or GM-CSF can be detected, a level that should render the assay useful for analysis of these molecules in samples from patients undergoing colony-stimulating factor therapy and from conditioned media from natural sources of the factors. In these cases, neutralizing antisera to each cytokine are required to demonstrate the specificity of the assay. This assay, in combination with quantitative immunoassays, should greatly facilitate the analysis of the roles of IL-3 and GM-CSF in regulating hematopoiesis both in patients and in natural sources of the cytokines.

Animals↗

Human interleukin 3: analysis of the gene and its role in the regulation of hematopoiesis.

Interleukin 3 (IL-3) is one of a family of cytokines believed to be important in regulating the growth and development of cells of both the hematopoietic and immune systems. In comparison with other hematopoietic growth factors, IL-3 preferentially supports the proliferation and differentiation of progenitors at early stages of hematopoietic development. In addition, IL-3 exerts a wide spectrum of biological activities on various target cell populations, including T cells, B cells, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes. The direct interaction between IL-3 and early multipotential progenitors has been confirmed in the primate model in which pretreatment of IL-3 primed the animals to become more responsive to late-acting hematopoietic growth factors, like granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and erythropoietin. Furthermore, administration of IL-3 can diminish myelosuppression and accelerate hematopoietic recovery in primates treated with various chemotherapeutic drugs. These studies suggest that IL-3 alone or in combination with other hematopoietins may prove to be useful in treating myelosuppressed patients.

Animals↗

Deletion of carboxy-terminal residues of murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor results in a loss of biologic activity and altered glycosylation.

A deletion mutant of murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) which differs in primary structure from native GM-CSF in the carboxy-terminal 11 amino acids was prepared. Four amino acid residues are mutated and the seven terminal residues including Cys-118 are deleted. Supernatants from COS-1 cells transfected with this deletion mutant (GM-CSF(del] showed a 3000-fold decrease in the ability to stimulate bone marrow stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages in vitro. Northern blot analysis using poly(A)+ RNA extracted from the transfected cells showed equal accumulations of GM-CSF and GM-CSF(del). Transfection with full-length GM-CSF followed by immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled supernatant proteins with rabbit anti-rGM-CSF antiserum yielded predominantly the 23-kDa, fully glycosylated form and small amounts of both a 29-kDa form and the 18-kDa non-N-glycosylated form. Transfection of the GM-CSF(del) mutant and immunoprecipitation revealed a large, diffuse band on sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular weight of about 29 kDa. Digestion of the immunoprecipitated 29-kDa species with N-glycanase converted the 29-kDa form into two forms of about 23 and 18 kDa, suggesting that the increase in molecular weight of the deletion mutant protein resulted from hyperglycosylation. Adding tunicamycin to the culture medium of cells transfected with GM-CSF(del) also yielded a single non-N-glycosylated species of about 18 kDa, but secretion was at a significantly lower level than either the 29-kDa hyperglycosylated GM-CSF(del) protein from non-tunicamycin-treated cells or the 18-kDa non-N-glycosylated full-length GM-CSF from tunicamycin-treated cells. Since very recent scanning-deletion analysis indicates that there is a critical region for activity near Cys-118 and that Cys-118 is necessary for maximal activity, we conclude that the Cys-118 residue is necessary for proper glycosylation and maximal biologic activity of GM-CSF.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Specific binding of human interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to human basophils.

The human T cell-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were examined for their ability to bind to human basophils. Basophils were obtained from the peripheral blood of a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia undergoing basophilic differentiation after purification on a density gradient of metrizamide. Binding studies with 125I-labeled IL-3 and 125I-labeled GM-CSF demonstrated that basophils express a single class of high-affinity receptors for each of these molecules. Saturation binding curves with 125I-labeled IL-3 revealed that IL-3 bound specifically to basophils, and analysis according to the method of Scatchard revealed that basophils express 800 to 900 receptors per cell with an apparent dissociation constant of 2.6 x 10(-11) mol/L. Saturation-binding curves with 125I-labeled GM-CSF revealed that basophils express 100 to 200 receptors per cell with an apparent dissociation constant of 4 x 10(-11) mol/L. The demonstration of high-affinity receptors for IL-3 and GM-CSF on human basophils suggests a role for these cytokines in the regulation of basophil function.

Basophils↗

Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding interleukin 11, a stromal cell-derived lymphopoietic and hematopoietic cytokine.

Hematopoiesis occurs in close association with a complex network of cells loosely termed the hematopoietic microenvironment. Analysis of the mechanisms of microenvironmental regulation of hematopoiesis has been hindered by the complexity of the microenvironment as well as the heterogeneity of hematopoietic stem cells and early progenitor cells. We have established immortalized primate bone marrow-derived stromal cell lines to facilitate analysis of the interactions of hematopoietic cells with the microenvironment in a large animal species. One such line, PU-34, was found to produce a variety of growth factors, including an activity that stimulates the proliferation of an interleukin 6-dependent murine plasmacytoma cell line. A cDNA encoding the plasmacytoma stimulatory activity was isolated through functional expression cloning in mammalian cells. The nucleotide sequence contained a single long reading frame of 597 nucleotides encoding a predicted 199-amino acid polypeptide. The amino acid sequence of this cytokine, designated interleukin 11 (IL-11), did not display significant similarity with any other sequence in the GenBank data base. Preliminary biological characterization indicates that in addition to stimulating plasmacytoma proliferation, IL-11 stimulates the T-cell-dependent development of immunoglobulin-producing B cells and synergizes with IL-3 in supporting murine megakaryocyte colony formation. These properties implicate IL-11 as an additional multifunctional regulator in the hematopoietic microenvironment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Deficient T cell granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor production in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

The proliferation and differentiation of donor hematopoietic progenitor cells in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) recipients is influenced by hematopoietic growth factors, which could derive from either T cells or adherent stromal bone marrow cells, or both. In this study of 20 BMT recipients, we asked whether T lymphocytes arising from donor bone marrow grafts were able to express normal levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA, and to secrete normal levels of soluble GM-CSF in response to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin. We have found that T cells obtained up to 18 months following BMT express little or no PHA-induced GM-CSF message. T cell GM-CSF secretion in response to PHA is also reduced or absent. This T cell GM-CSF defect was observed in all patients studied, whether or not donor bone marrows had undergone T cell depletion. This defect likely reflects a broader deficit in mitogen-induced lymphokine production. This defect likely contributes to BMT recipients' blunted responses to infections, and contributes to graft failure in T cell-depleted transplants.

Adolescent↗

Different sensitivity of normal and leukaemic progenitor cells to Ara-C and IL-3 combined treatment.

In the present study the effects of a combined treatment with cytosine-arabinoside (Ara-C) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) on acute myeloblastic leukaemia clonogenic cells and on normal haemopoietic progenitors was investigated, with the aim of improving the tumoricidal effect of cycle specific drugs. Blast cells from 24 acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) patients were screened with a short-term proliferative assay based on 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) uptake for their response to IL-3. To evaluate the synergism between the growth factor and Ara-C, the cells were pretreated for 3 d in liquid culture in the presence or absence of IL-3 (10 U/ml) and for the last 24 h with Ara-C (3 micrograms/ml). The cells were then washed and seeded in semisolid media to assess their clonogenic ability. The results showed that, in those cases which were good responders to IL-3 in the 3H-TdR uptake assay (19 out of 24), Ara-C exposure eliminated a greater proportion of clonogenic cells if pretreated with IL-3 than if untreated (P less than 0.001), while in cases unresponsive to IL-3 this effect was not significant. Moreover, when the same protocol was applied to bone marrow cells from normal donors, it was found that IL-3 pretreatment did not significantly enhance the toxic effect of Ara-C on day 14 granulocyte-macrophage colony forming units (CFU-GM) and erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E). Finally IL-3 pretreatment was also able to increase the cytotoxic effect of Ara-C on leukaemic cells co-cultured, to simulate clinical AML remission, with normal bone marrow cells. The results indicate that IL-3 may improve the therapeutic index of cycle-specific drugs in AML therapy.

Cell Division↗

Expression and modulation of IL-3 and GM-CSF receptors in human growth factor dependent leukaemic cells.

From the interleukin-3 (IL-3) responsive human myeloid cell line M-07 we derived a subclone, named M-07e, which is fully dependent for growth and survival on either granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-3. In this paper the expression, specificity and modulation of GM-CSF and IL-3 receptors on M-07e cells are described. The specificity of the binding was demonstrated by the failure of other cytokines to compete, at 4 degrees C, with GM-CSF or IL-3 receptors. In addition, IL-3 was found to compete as well as GM-CSF for GM-CSF receptors while GM-CSF was a weak competitor for IL-3 receptors. Quantitative binding studies and Scatchard plot analysis revealed the presence of a single class of high-affinity GM-CSF binding sites (405 +/- 27.4 sites per cell, dissociation constant at the equilibrium 52 +/- 20 pM) and the presence of high and low-affinity regions for IL-3 binding sites (27 +/- 12 and 416 +/- 92 sites per cell for the high and low affinity regions respectively, dissociation constant at the equilibrium, 58 +/- 22 pM and 5.7 +/- 2.0 nM respectively). Finally, in agreement with the hierarchical down-modulation model, we found that IL-3 can down-modulate both IL-3 and GM-CSF receptors while GM-CSF can down-modulate only its own receptors. The present results suggest that M-07e cells, in spite of their neoplastic nature, share, with murine bone marrow cells, similar growth factor receptor regulatory mechanisms. This cell line may be regarded as a candidate model to investigate the physiological events triggered by growth factors binding to human haemopoietic cells.

Cell Line↗

IL-3 inhibits the binding of GM-CSF to AML blasts, but the two cytokines act synergistically in supporting blast proliferation.

Equilibrium binding of 125I-labeled recombinant granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) revealed the presence of two classes of binding components of high and low affinity, with dissociation constants (Kd) in the range of 5-10 pM and 1-10 nM, respectively. Specificity studies revealed that interleukin-3 (IL-3) could partially inhibit the binding of GM-CSF to AML blasts and to the cells of the leukemic lines M07-E, KG-1, and HL-60. The inhibition of GM-CSF binding by IL-3 was directly dependent on the presence of IL-3 receptors. Analysis of competition curves indicated that the Kd and the number of binding sites per cell of unlabeled and iodinated GM-CSF were identical. In contrast, the inhibition of GM-CSF binding by IL-3 was mediated by IL-3 occupancy of a high affinity receptor only, with the same number of sites as the high affinity GM-CSF receptor but a slightly higher Kd. Despite this competitive binding, IL-3 augmented AML blast proliferation in the presence of GM-CSF, indicating that the two growth factors have converging pathways in supporting blast proliferation. In striking contrast to AML blasts, GM-CSF binding to neutrophils was compatible with the presence of only one class of binding site of intermediate affinity (Kd approximately 100-160 pM). Furthermore, IL-3 does not compete for the binding of GM-CSF to neutrophils.

Binding Sites↗

Recombinant human interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor show common biological effects and binding characteristics on human monocytes.

Two human hemopoietic growth factors involved in monocytopoiesis, interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were studied for their ability to stimulate blood monocytes and to bind to the monocyte membrane. Both cytokines maintained monocyte/macrophage numbers during long-term culture and increased cell size as compared with controls. Effects on cell numbers were present at low cytokine concentrations (6 to 20 pmol/L), whereas enhanced 3H-thymidine incorporation was observed only at higher concentrations (greater than or equal to 60 pmol/L). Autoradiographic studies showed only 1% to 3% of stimulated monocytes with nuclear grains. These results suggest that the primary mechanism for IL-3 and GM-CSF-induced maintenance of monocyte/macrophage numbers in humans is through an effect on cell survival. Surface receptors for both IL-3 and GM-CSF were studied by using 125I-labeled recombinant human (rh) cytokines and performing Scatchard analyses. Both cytokines showed curvilinear Scatchard plots, and computer analyses favored a two-site binding model. High-affinity binding data for 125I rhIL-3 (Kd 7.7 to 38.2 pmol/L; receptor number/cell 95 to 580) and for 125I rhGM-CSF (Kd 4.7 to 38.9 pmol/L; receptor number/cell 8 to 67) show similar binding affinities for the two cytokines but a lower receptor number/cell for 125I rhGM-CSF. Low-affinity binding characteristics for 125I rhIL-3 (Kd 513 to 939 pmol/L; receptor number/cell 179 to 5,274) and for 125I rhGM-CSF (Kd 576 to 1,120 pmol/L; receptor number/cell 130 to 657) show a similar pattern for the two cytokines. Specificity of 125I rhIL-3 and 125I rhGM-CSF binding to monocytes was established by the ability of the homologous cytokine to inhibit binding and the inability of a range of other cytokines to compete at 100-fold excess molar concentration. It is important, however, that binding of 125I rhIL-3 was partially inhibited by rhGM-CSF and that rhIL-3 partially inhibited binding of 125I rhGM-CSF to the monocyte membrane under conditions shown to prevent receptor internalization. The degree of inhibition varied between 25% and 80% in different experiments, and quantitative inhibition experiments showed that 1,000-fold excess concentrations of competitor failed to inhibit binding of the heterologous ligand completely. These results demonstrate that human IL-3 and GM-CSF have similar effects on growth and survival of human monocytes in vitro and suggest that these and other common biological effects may be mediated either through a common receptor or through distinct receptors associated on the monocyte membrane.

Binding, Competitive↗

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is an endogenous regulator of cell proliferation in juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML) is a rare myeloproliferative disorder of early childhood that is clinically and cytogenically distinct from the well-recognized adult type of chronic myeloid leukemia. Unlike the adult disease, growth of hematopoietic progenitors from peripheral blood (PB) occurs in the absence of exogenous stimulus even at low cell densities. This so-called "spontaneous" growth can be abrogated by adherent cell depletion and appears to depend on production of endogenous growth factors. We studied seven children with JCML to determine the nature of endogenous stimulators. With isolated PB mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) and a 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation assay, JCML cells were shown to incorporate high levels of 3H-TdR when cultured in the absence of stimulus even at low cell densities. When neutralizing antisera prepared against each of the four known colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), GM-CSF, G-CSF, M-CSF, and interleukin-3 (IL-3), as well as antisera against interleukin-1 (alpha and beta) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were added to these cultures, only the antisera against recombinant human GM-CSF (rhGM-CSF) consistently resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation, achieving up to 72% inhibition of 3H-TdR incorporation in one case. Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against rhGM-CSF resulted in a similar and highly significant degree of inhibition. A marked inhibitory effect of rhGM-CSF antiserum on "spontaneous" growth of PB CFU-GM derived colonies in semisolid medium was also demonstrated in four of five patients studied (87% to 90% inhibition). Production of growth factors by highly enriched JCML monocytes was variable. When initially studied in five of the seven patients, the monocytes from three of the patients revealed increased release of IL-1-like activities; two patients had levels similar to those of controls. One patient with normal levels when initially studied was later shown to have markedly increased amounts of IL-1-like activities in a second preparation of monocyte-conditioned medium (MCM). High levels of GM-CSF were detected in the initial MCM from one patient, but this may have indirectly reflected elevated IL-1-like activities present in the MCM. IL-3 and M-CSF levels were either low or undetectable in the patients studied as compared with MCM prepared with normal adult monocytes. These results clearly implicate GM-CSF as the primary endogenous regulator of JCML cell proliferation in culture and suggest that this malignant myeloproliferative disease may in part result from paracrine stimulation of marrow progenitor cells by growth factors/cytokines secreted by the malignant monocytes.

Bone Marrow↗

Expression cloning of cDNA encoding a novel human hematopoietic growth factor: human homologue of murine T-cell growth factor P40.

We used functional expression cloning in mammalian cells to identify a cDNA clone encoding a hematopoietic growth factor that is mitogenic for the factor-dependent human megakaryoblastic leukemic cell line, MO7E. Analysis of the sequence of this cDNA revealed striking similarity to that of a recently reported novel murine growth factor for helper T-cell clones designated T-cell growth factor P40. The mRNA for the human P40 protein is expressed by several different human T-cell lines and by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes. The recombinant protein displays substantial size heterogeneity typical of other glycoprotein cytokines. These properties plus the observation that this cytokine may well act within both the lymphoid and myeloid lineages warrant the designation of P40 as interleukin-9.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification and purification of natural killer cell stimulatory factor (NKSF), a cytokine with multiple biologic effects on human lymphocytes.

We have identified and purified a novel cytokine, NK cell stimulatory factor (NKSF), from the cell-free supernatant fluid of the phorbol diester-induced EBV-transformed human B lymphoblastoid cell line RPMI 8866. NKSF activity is mostly associated to a 70-kD anionic glycoprotein. The purified 70-kD protein, isolated from an SDS-PAGE gel, yields upon reduction two small species of molecular masses of 40 and 35 kD, suggesting that this cytokine is a heterodimer. When added to human PBL, purified NKSF preparations induce IFN-gamma production and synergize with rIL-2 in this activity, augment the NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity of PBL preparations against both NK-sensitive and NK-resistant target cell lines, and enhance the mitogenic response of T cells to mitogenic lectins and phorbol diesters. The three activities remain associated through different purification steps resulting in a 9,200-fold purification, and purified NKSF mediates the three biological activities at concentrations in the range of 0.1-10 pM. These data strongly suggest that the same molecule mediates these three activities, although the presence of traces of contaminant peptides even in the most purified NKSF preparations does not allow us to exclude the possibility that distinct biologically active molecules have been co-purified. The absence of other known cytokines in the purified NKSF preparations, the unusual molecular conformation of NKSF, the high specific activity of the purified protein, and the spectrum of biological activities distinguish NKSF from other previously described cytokines.

Biological Factors↗

Interleukin-3 and granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor receptors on human acute myelocytic leukemia cells and relationship to the proliferative response.

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-monocyte-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulate proliferation of human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in vitro, although patterns of response among clinical cases are diverse. Whether regulatory abnormalities related to growth factor responses in human AML may establish the outgrowth of the neoplasm is unclear. We determined receptor numbers and affinity for IL-3 and GM-CSF on human AML cells using human recombinant IL-3 (rIL-3) and GM-CSF (rGM-CSF). In 13 of 15 cases of primary AML high-affinity (kd 26 to 414 pmol/L) receptors for IL-3 were demonstrable on the cells. The average numbers of IL-3 receptors ranged from 21 to 145 receptors per cell. Normal WBCs showed IL-3 receptors on their surface at similar densities. IL-3 receptor positivity often correlated with GM-CSF receptor positivity of AML; GM-CSF receptors were demonstrated on the cells of 11 of 15 cases, although average numbers of GM-CSF receptors were ten times greater. The in vitro response of the cells to exogenous IL-3 or GM-CSF was examined by measuring thymidine uptake. Because IL-3 and GM-CSF were potent inducers of DNA synthesis in vitro, apparently relatively few receptors are required to permit activation of growth. These experiments did not provide evidence for overexpression or increased receptor sensitivity as an explanation for AML growth. In a minority of cases, however, the cells were unable to respond to IL-3 (four of 15 cases) or GM-CSF (four of 15 cases) despite normal receptor availability on the cell surface.

Bone Marrow↗

Detection of a human CFC with a high proliferative potential.

Colony forming cells (CFC) with high proliferative potential have been detected in nutrient agar cultures of human bone marrow cells containing recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). These CFC were detected by the formation of large colonies with diameters greater than 0.5 mm and containing approximately 50,000 cells after 28 days incubation. The incidence of these CFC was only two in 100,000 normal bone marrow cells; however, bone marrow from patients treated with 5-fluorouracil contained up to sevenfold higher numbers of these CFC. The characteristics of these CFC, multifactor-responsive progenitors with high proliferative potential, requiring a prolonged growth period in culture and showing a relative preservation in marrow from individuals pretreated with 5-fluorouracil, are consistent with a human cell type equivalent to the primitive murine progenitor termed HPP-CFC.

Adolescent↗

A possible autocrine role for interleukin-6 in two lymphoma cell lines.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a growth factor with diverse biologic activity. Originally described as a T-cell product that enhances immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion in antigen-stimulated B cells, it also affects the growth of T cells, plasmacytomas, hybridomas, and hematopoietic stem cells. We report the expression and secretion of IL-6 by two lymphoma cell lines, OCI-LY3 and OCI-LY12. Addition of recombinant IL-6 stimulated their growth, whereas addition of polyclonal anti-recombinant IL-6 (anti-rIL-6) had a marked inhibitory effect on proliferation. These results suggest an autocrine role for IL-6 in the growth of these lymphoma cells in culture.

Blotting, Northern↗

Human recombinant IL-3 stimulates B cell differentiation.

To investigate the role of human IL-3 in B cell differentiation, we examined its effect on IgG secretion from normal B cells and a B cell line, JDA. The effect of IL-3 was compared to that of IL-6. IL-3 stimulated IgG secretion from tonsil B cells or peripheral blood-derived B cells activated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain. This effect required the presence of IL-2. Neither B cell growth factor (BCGF) nor IFN-gamma replaced IL-2 in this function. IL-6 stimulated similar IgG secretion from tonsil B cells and also required the presence of IL-2. Moreover, the combination of IL-3 and IL-6 induced IgG secretion equivalent to that induced by either lymphokine. These data suggest that IL-3 and IL-6 might affect normal B cell differentiation by similar mechanism(s). The IL-3 effect on B cells appears to be caused by direct interaction with B cells because IL-3 induced a dose-dependent stimulation of IgG secretion from the JDA cells. This stimulation did not require the presence of IL-2. IL-6 displayed a similar effect on JDA cells and did not require IL-2. However, when IL-3 was combined with IL-6 a synergistic IgG secretion was observed in JDA cultures. These data suggest that IL-3 may potentiate the human immune response via stimulation of B cell differentiation and that its effect is dependent on the target B cell population, its stage of activation and/or maturation.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗