UP-REGULATION OF INTERLEUKIN-4 RECEPTOR EXPRESSION ON IMMATURE (LYT-2-/L3T4-) THYMOCYTES

  • 15 January 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 140  (2) , 474-478
Abstract
In this report, the effect of interleukin 4 (IL-4) on the growth and differentiation of Lyt-2-/L3T4- (2- 4-) thymocytes was investigated. It was found that these thymocytes proliferated extensively when cultured in the presence of IL-4 + phorbol myristate acetate without apparent differentiation of Lyt-2+ or L3T4+ cells. We also demonstrated that 2- 4- thymocytes constitutively express a high affinity (dissociation constant of 20 to 40 pM) receptor for IL-4. Freshly isolated 2- 4- thymocytes expressed on average about 100 IL-4 receptors per cell, but the number of receptors increased .apprx. 8-fold within 3 days after activation by IL-4 + phorbol myristate acetate. These findings suggest that IL-4 may play an important role in T cell ontogeny by promoting self-renewal of stem cells within the thymus.

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