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Biomedical subjects

T Honjo

Publications and source records attributed to T Honjo.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

HTLV-1 p27rex stabilizes human interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain mRNA.

Expression of the pX gene products (p40tax, p27rex and p21X-III) of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), which is known to be a causative agent of adult T cell lymphoma/leukemia, induces expression of the interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain (IL-2R alpha) on infected T cells. Comparison of IL-2R alpha promoter activities has revealed that the transcriptional activation of the promoter alone cannot explain the large numbers of IL-2R alpha expressed on HTLV-1 infected cells. We found that the rates of the IL-2R alpha mRNA degradation were greatly reduced in pX-positive cells as compared with pX-negative cells. Simultaneous transfection of the expression vector plasmid containing IL-2R alpha cDNA and similar plasmids containing various pX sequences showed that p27rex elongated the half life of IL-2R alpha mRNA. As p27rex did not affect the transport of the IL-2R alpha mRNA from nucleus to cytoplasm, prolongation of the IL-2R alpha mRNA half life by p27rex is ascribed to stabilization of the mRNA. Experiments using deletion mutants and chimeric constructs of the IL-2R alpha cDNA demonstrated that the coding sequence but not the 5' or 3' untranslated region of the IL-2R alpha mRNA sequence is responsible for its protection by p27rex.

Cell Line↗

Establishment of an interleukin-5-dependent subclone from an interleukin-3-dependent murine hemopoietic progenitor cell line, LyD9, and its malignant transformation by autocrine secretion of interleukin-5.

An interleukin-5 (IL-5)-dependent subclone, K-5, was established from an IL-3-dependent murine hemopoietic progenitor cell line by co-culturing with bone marrow stroma cells. K-5 cells were induced to differentiate into myeloid lineage cells by co-culturing with cloned PA6 stroma cells. By co-culturing with another cloned stroma cell (ST-2s10), K-5 cells gave rise to a factor-independent transformant cell line LT-5 which proliferated in an autocrine manner by secretion of IL-5 and produced tumors in nude mice. Molecular cloning of the IL-5 gene of LT-5 cells and the nucleotide sequencing of its 5' flanking region indicate that a transposition of an intracisternal A-particle (IAP) element to the 5' flanking region of the IL-5 gene is responsible for the constitutive expression of IL-5 mRNA of an aberrant size in LT-5 cells.

Animals↗

Improvement in the antibody productivity of human-human hybridomas by transfection with Tac gene.

The presence of a highly purified recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) increased the production of immunoglobulin (IgM or IgG) by human-human hybridomas to 1.5-2.0 times the production by untreated cells. However, these cells did not react with anti-Tac (IL-2 receptor alpha) antibody. To enhance the response of the hybridoma cells to rIL-2, Tac gene was introduced by co-transfection with Tac gene expression plasmid pTB459 and G418 resistant gene expression plasmid pRSVneo. Tac cDNA transfected hybridoma (HBW-4.16.459-6-126) was induced to produce 6 times as much IgG by rIL-2 as was the control. This antibody production promoting phenomenon mediated by rIL-2 was depressed by anti-Tac antibody.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Genetic heterogeneity in blast crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Fourteen patients with lymphoid and mixed blast crisis (BC) of chronic myelocytic leukemia were studied by immunophenotyping and genotyping. Rearrangements of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH), T-cell receptor (TcR) gamma and TcR beta genes were detected in all 14, in nine and in four patients, respectively. Interestingly, more than two rearranged bands of IgH gene in three lymphoid BC and two rearranged bands with germ line band in 1 biphenotypic BC indicated the genetic heterogeneity of the blasts. Some blastic transformations are thought to occur at a more immature stage of hematopoietic differentiation than that indicated by the phenotype and genotype of BC cells.

Antigens, Differentiation↗

The cytoplasmic domain of the CD8 alpha-chain is required for its interaction with p56lck.

The CD8 glycoprotein expressed on the surface of CTLs is a heterodimer composed of alpha (Lyt-2) and beta (Lyt-3) chains. Recent studies have shown that CD4 and CD8 are physically associated with a T cell-specific protein-tyrosine kinase p56lck. Our previous experiments have suggested strongly that p56lck interacts directly with CD4 and CD8 molecules. The present report using cytoplasmic deletion mutants of the CD8 alpha-chain gene has extended our observations to demonstrate unequivocally that the cytoplasmic domain of the CD8 alpha chain is responsible for interaction with p56lck. The data has also confirmed the importance of the conserved twelve amino acid sequence motif of the CD8 alpha cytoplasmic domain in complex formation with p56lck.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Why are multiple chains required for the interleukin 2 receptor?

The interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) is composed of at least two proteins, that is, a 55 kDa L chain (p55, alpha chain) and a 75 kDa H chain (p75, beta chain). The high-affinity binding of IL-2 results in the formation of the ternary complex consisting of IL-2, the L chain and the H chain. Kinetic studies on the IL-2 binding to the high-affinity IL-2R have shown that the association of IL-2 to the L chain is the first step of the ternary complex formation and that expression of a larger number of L chains accelerates the association of IL-2 to the high-affinity IL-2R in agreement with the stepwise binding/affinity conversion model. This conclusion was supported by experiments using several monoclonal antibodies directed to either H or L chain and murine T cell lines which was transfected by the human L chain cDNA. Temperature-sensitive IL-2 binding to the high-affinity receptor is also consistent with the above conclusion. Signal transduction by the IL-2R appears to involve the activation of tyrosine protein kinase. IL-2 signal transduction seems to require the H chain and another yet unidentified molecule, which might have the kinase activity.

Animals↗

Molecular analysis of a chromosomal translocation, t(9;14)(p13;q32), in a diffuse large-cell lymphoma cell line expressing the Ki-1 antigen.

We have studied a translocation, t(9;14)(p13;q32), in a diffuse large-cell lymphoma cell line, KIS-1, that expresses the Ki-1 (CD30) antigen. Molecular cloning of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus (IGH) of this cell line revealed an unknown segment linked 5' to IGH. The breakpoint on chromosome 14 was 265 base pairs downstream from the 3' border of the JH6 joining gene segment. Class switch recombination deleted most of the constant genes of IGH (CH) and juxtaposed the C alpha 2 gene downstream of the translocation junction. Analysis of somatic cell hybrids and in situ chromosomal hybridization demonstrated that the translocated segment was normally located at band p13 of chromosome 9. The chromosome 9 sequences were transcriptionally active, giving rise to transcripts of approximately 11 kilobases. The KIS-1 cells seemed to have a small quantity of chimeric transcripts containing both chromosome 9 and C alpha 2 sequences.

Antigens, CD↗

Stepwise formation of the high-affinity complex of the interleukin 2 receptor.

The interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) is composed of at least two polypeptides--a 55 kd protein (the L chain, p55, or alpha chain) and a 75 kd protein (the H chain, p75 or beta chain). The high-affinity binding of IL-2 results in the formation of a ternary complex consisting of IL-2 and the L and H chains. We found that the rate of high-affinity complex formation at 0 degrees C was about one-third of that at 37 degrees C. The reduction of high-affinity complex formation rate at lower temperatures correlates with the reduction of lateral diffusion within the membrane at lower temperatures. An anti-H chain antibody (2RB) inhibited the formation of the high-affinity complex at 0 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C. We studied the kinetics of the high-affinity complex formation at 37 degrees C after the preincubation of ATL-2 cells with the 2RB antibody and IL-2 at 0 degrees C. We found that the amount of IL-2.L complex formed initially at 0 degrees C was almost equivalent to the amount of high-affinity complex formed by subsequent incubation at 37 degrees C. These results suggest that the IL-2.L complex might be converted to the high-affinity IL-2R complex. Similar experiments using YTC3 cells, which express a smaller number of L chains, showed slower rates of high-affinity complex formation, in agreement with the affinity conversion/stepwise binding model.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Oligoclonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in Philadelphia chromosome-positive common acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The occurrence of more than two rearranged bands of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) genes in B precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has recently been documented. To elucidate the nature of such leukemias, we studied 30 patients with common ALL, including 6 patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive ALL, by immunophenotyping and genotyping. In 10 of the 30, Southern blotting showed oligoclonal patterns of IgH gene arrangements, which were frequently detected in Ph1-positive ALL. In one patient of the 10, three rearranged bands of Ig kappa chain genes were detected. Ph1 abnormality and co-expression of myeloid associated antigens were found in 5 and 5 of the 10, respectively. Detection of multiple fragments of IgH genes would be suggestive of multipotent progenitor origin of these ALL.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Rapid methods for purification of human recombinant interleukin-5 (IL-5) using the anti-murine IL-5 antibody-coupled immunoaffinity column.

A large scale production of human recombinant IL-5 (hIL-5) was performed by way of recombinant DNA technology. In this study, we transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells with pdKCR-hIL-5gene-dhfr plasmid and selected a cell line, with the use of methotrexate, producing large amounts of hIL-5. The recombinant hIL-5 thus obtained induced IgM production of murine B cell leukemia BCL1, and its activity was inhibited by TB13 anti-mouse IL-5 monoclonal antibody. hIL-5 could be purified from the cell-free supernatants of the transfectants with high recoveries by using anti-mouse IL-5 antibody-coupled immunoaffinity column in combination with a gel permeation column chromatography. N terminal amino acid sequence analysis of purified hIL-5 revealed that a single amino-terminal amino acid (isoleucine) is detected and hIL-5 consists of 115 amino acid residues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of a protein that binds to the recombination signal sequence of the immunoglobulin J kappa segment.

A protein that binds to the recombination signal sequence (RS) of the immunoglobulin J kappa segment was purified almost to homogeneity from the nuclear extract of a murine pre-B cell line 38B9. A similar binding protein was found in lymphoid cell lines but not in non-lymphoid cell lines. The binding activity was associated with a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 60,000. DNase I footprinting analysis demonstrated that this binding protein interacted with the heptamer and several 3' bases close to the heptamer. The Kd value of the J kappa RS binding protein to the J kappa RS was 1 nM. One base substitution in the heptamer of the J kappa RS greatly reduced the affinity of the J kappa RS binding protein. The high specificity of the binding site of the J kappa RS binding protein suggests that this protein may be involved in V-J recombination.

Animals↗

Expansion of natural killer cells but not T cells in human interleukin 2/interleukin 2 receptor (Tac) transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice expressing both human IL-2 and the L chain of IL-2-R constitutively had an unusual expansion of Thy-1+/CD3-4-8- large granular lymphocytes, which bore the elevated NK activity. Unexpectedly, the transgenic mice had neither T cell expansion nor autoreactive antibodies. The increase in number and activity of NK cells seems to be responsible for both the severe interstitial pneumonia and lymphocyte depletion in the spleen that we found in these transgenic mice. In addition, we found the selective loss of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of the mice, which gave rise to their disturbed gait. All the transgenic mice died by 4 wk of age.

Animals↗

Interleukin 5 enhances interleukin 2-mediated lymphokine-activated killer activity.

IL-5 expresses various biologic effects on several types of lymphocytes, including B cells, eosinophils, and T cells. We demonstrated that the incubation of resting splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice in murine rIL-5 enhances IL-2-mediated lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity against various tumor cells. IL-5 alone, however, does not induce killer activity. IL-2-mediated LAK activity increases in proportion to the dose of IL-5. During the late phase of the culture period, IL-5 seems to have some effect on the induction of IL-2-mediated LAK activity. We expect that IL-5 will prove useful for adoptive immunotherapy.

Animals↗

Involvement of c-myc oncogene in lymphoma cell lines with no detectable chromosome rearrangement of band 8q24.

Two lymphoma cell lines of B-cell type were established from Japanese patients with diffuse small noncleaved cell lymphoma. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a 14q+ marker chromosome in both cell lines, and a t(8;14)(q24.1;q32.3) seemed most likely to have occurred. The chromosome 8 pair, however, had no abnormalities. Molecular analysis demonstrated c-myc amplification lacking gross rearrangement in one cell line and genetic rearrangement of c-myc at the first intron as well as aberrant sizes of c-myc mRNA in the other cell line. In the latter case, it is possible that a t(8;14)(q24.1;q32.3) was buried in an unrecognized complex translocation. A combination of cytogenetic and molecular studies to determine the precise nature of the 14q32 translocation is discussed.

Aged↗

Multiple effects of human recombinant interleukin 4 on human myeloid monocyte cell lines.

The effects of recombinant human interleukin 4 (rIL-4) on proliferation and differentiation on human myeloid/monocytic leukemia cell lines were examined. At high concentrations, rIL-4 had a slight enhancing effect on [3H]thymidine incorporation by U937 cells. rIL-4 markedly induced expression of the Fc epsilon receptor (CD23) and the Leu-M3 antigen (CD14) on U937 cells. HL60 and THP-1 cells treated with rIL-4 also showed increased CD23 expression, but little change of CD14 antigen expression. CD23 induction required lower amounts of IL-4 than needed for T cell growth, indicating that CD23 induction on U937 will serve as a sensitive assay for human IL-4. rIL-4 reduced the steady state level of IL-1 beta mRNA in U937.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗

Expression of different combinations of interleukins by human T cell leukemic cell lines that are clonally related.

We have analyzed expression patterns of 7 lymphokine mRNAs by Northern blot analyses in 19 different human T cell clones derived from patients with adult T cell leukemia. However, we were not able to reveal particular combinations of lymphokine production that allowed classification of human T cells. Especially, four clonally related leukemic lines that were established independently from the same patient with adult T cell leukemia expressed different combinations of lymphokine mRNAs, indicating that the expression of various lymphokines is not fixed but rather variable even among progenies of a single T cell clone.

Clone Cells↗