Abstract
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in combination with the IL-2 receptor has an essential role in antigen-stimulated proliferation of T lymphocytes1–3. It has been proposed that the constitutive expression of the IL-2 receptor on adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) cells4 may be associated with transformation of T cells5,6. Although we and others7–9 have isolated complementary DNA clones encoding a protein that binds IL-2, formal proof that this protein is the IL-2 receptor requires demonstration of IL-2-dependent growth stimulation of cells expressing the protein. In addition, a functional assay system other than binding of IL-2 is required to investigate the molecular mechanism of signal transmission through the IL-2 receptor using artificially mutated cDNA. The IL-2 receptor expressed in non-lymphoid cells by cDNA transfection did not mediate a growth signal10,11, implying that lymphoid cells expressing the functional receptor might have specific accessory molecule(s) for signal transmission by the receptor. Therefore, we established a line of IL-2-dependent mouse cells (CT/hR) expressing both murine (endogenous) and human IL-2 receptors. Here, by blocking the endogenous mouse IL-2 receptors with monoclonal antibodies, we show that the human IL-2 receptor of CT/hR cells is functionally active. Although CT/hR expressed the human IL-2 receptor constitutively, growth of these cells was strictly dependent on IL-2, indicating that uncontrolled over-expression of the IL-2 receptor was not by itself sufficient for T-cell transformation.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Morgan, D. A., Ruscetti, F. W. & Gallo, R. C. Science 193, 1007–1008 (1976).
Smith, K. A. Immun. Rev. 51, 337–357 (1980).
Hemler, M. E., Brenner, M. B., McLean, J. M. & Strominger, J. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 2172–2175 (1984).
Hattori, T., Uchiyama, T., Toibana, T., Takatsuki, K. & Uchino, H. Blood 58, 645–647 (1981).
Tsudo, M., Uchiyama, T., Uchino, H. & Yodoi, J. Blood 61, 1014–1016 (1983).
Yodoi, J., Uchiyama, T. & Maeda, M. Blood 62, 509–510 (1983).
Nikaido, T. et al. Nature 311, 631–635 (1984).
Leonard, W. J. et al. Nature 311, 626–631 (1984).
Cosman, D. et al. Nature 312, 768–776 (1984).
Greene, W. C. et al. J. exp. Med. 162, 363–368 (1985).
Sabe, H. et al. Molec. Biol. Med. (in the press).
Gillis, S., Ferm, M. M., Ou, W. & Smith, K. A. J. Immun. 120, 2027–2032 (1978).
Uchiyama, T., Broder, B. & Waldmann, T. A. J. Immun. 126, 1393–1397 (1981).
von Boehmer, H., Crisanti, A., Kisielow, P. & Haas, W. Nature 314, 539–540 (1985).
Osawa, H. & Diamantstein, T. J. Immun. 132, 2445–2450 (1984).
Osawa, H. & Diamantstein, T., Eur. J. Immun. 15, 299–301 (1985).
Ceredig, R., Lowenthal, J. W., Nabholz, M. & MacDonald, H. R. Nature 314, 98–100 (1985).
Robb, R. J., Green, W. C. & Rusk, C. M. J. exp. Med. 160, 1126–1146 (1984).
Shimizu, A. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 13, 1505–1516 (1985).
Maeda, M. et al. J. exp. Med. 162, 1269–2174 (1985).
Queen, C. & Baltimore, D. Cell 33, 741–748 (1983).
Robb, R. J., Munck, A. & Smith, K. A. J. exp. Med. 154, 1455–1474 (1981).
Bolton, A. E. & Hunter, W. M. Biochem. J. 133, 529–531 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kondo, S., Shimizu, A., Maeda, M. et al. Expression of functional human interleukin-2 receptor in mouse T cells by cDNA transfection. Nature 320, 75–77 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/320075a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/320075a0
This article is cited by
-
Factors influencing transient expression in cytotoxic T cells following DEAE dextran-mediated gene transfer
Somatic Cell and Molecular Genetics (1991)
-
Expression of functional interleukin-2 receptors in human light chain/Tac ransgenic mice
Nature (1988)
-
Expression of functional human interleukin‐2 receptors in murine interleukin‐3‐dependent cells
Immunology & Cell Biology (1988)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
