Abundant expression of type l K+ channels. A marker for lymphoproliferative diseases?

Using the patch clamp whole-cell recording technique, we studied expression of K+ channels in mAb-defined T cell subsets from diseased C3H-lpr/lpr and C3H-gld/gld mice and from healthy C3H-HeJ congenic controls. Both mutant mouse strains develop a lupus-like syndrome accompanied by hyperplasia of a functionally and phenotypically abnormal T cell subset. These defective cells, which are Thy-1.2+ CD4- CD8- B220+ F23.1+, display an abundance of type l K+ channels. Phenotypically similar lymph node T cells from normal C3H-HeJ mice, or young C3H-lpr/lpr mice before the onset of disease, do not display large numbers of type l K+ channels. CD4+ CD8- T cells (helper/inducer) from the mutant mice express a small number of type n K+ channels, and CD4- CD8+ T cells (suppressor/cytotoxic) show a low level of type l or n' K+ channels, as do their phenotypically equivalent counterparts in the normal mouse thymus. These results suggest that the abundant expression of type l K+ channels is a marker for the defective lpr and gld T cell subset and may reflect the "abnormal" proliferative status of these cells.