PMA-treated K-562 leukemia cells mediate a TH2-specific expansion of CD4+ T cells in vitro

Baker, Erich J; Ichiki, Albert T; Hodge, James W; Sugantharaj, Devadas; Bamberger, Elena G; Lozzio, Carmen B

doi:10.1016/S0145-2126(00)00082-5

« Previous Next »Leukemia Research
Volume 24, Issue 12 , Pages 1049-1057, December 2000

PMA-treated K-562 leukemia cells mediate a TH2-specific expansion of CD4+ T cells in vitro

Erich J Baker
- Department of Medical Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
Albert T Ichiki
- Department of Medical Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-865-5449467; fax: +1-865-5449460
James W Hodge
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Devadas Sugantharaj
- Department of Medical Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
Elena G Bamberger
- Department of Medical Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
Carmen B Lozzio
- Department of Medical Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA

Received 17 February 2000; accepted 16 June 2000.

Abstract

Highly enriched preparations of human CD3+CD4+ T-lymphocytes were stimulated with mitogen or OKT3 to determine the capacity of K-562 cells to function as accessory cells. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-treated K-562 cells were induced to differentiate along the megakaryocytic lineage and could supplant monocyte-accessory cell function. Intracytoplasmic analysis of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) established that IL-4, and not IFN-γ, was preferentially produced by the activated lymphocytes. This polarized stimulation is compatible with a type 2 or humoral immune response of purified T cells co-cultured with differentiated K-562 cells in vitro, and may have implications in immunoregulation due to disease progression.

Keywords: Human CD4 cells, Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, K-562, Th1, Th2

Abbreviations: APC, antigen-presenting cell, CML, chronic myelogenous leukemia, ConA, concanavalin A, FBS, fetal bovine serum, FITC, fluoroscein isothiocyanate, IFN-γ, interferon-γ, IL, interleukin, KLH, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, MHC, major histocompatibility complex, PBS, phosphate-buffered saline, PE, phycoerythrin, PHA, phytohemagglutinin, PMA, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, TCR, T cell receptor, Th1, T helper lymphocyte type 1, Th2, T helper lymphocyte type 2