T cell recognition of Moloney leukemia virus proteins. III. T cell proliferative responses against gp70 are associated with the production of a lymphokine inducing 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in splenic lymphocytes.

One of the characteristic cellular immune responses associated with the regression of Moloney leukemia/sarcoma virus-induced tumors is a T cell proliferative response against the major viral envelope glycoprotein, gp70. The results described here demonstrated that associated with this proliferative response is the production of a lymphokine, Interleukin 3 (IL-3). The production of IL-3 was immunologically specific and showed the same specificity as that observed in blastogenic responses. IL-3 production was dependent upon an antigen-specific Thy-1.2+, Lyt-1+, 2- lymphocyte subpopulation but did not require the presence of an Ia+ or an adherent accessory cell. The results also suggested that IL-3 may constitute one of the blastogenic factors previously shown to be involved in the proliferative response to gp70. In particular, purified IL-3 was found to induce proliferation of both normal and immune nylon wool purified splenic lymphocytes. The phenotype of the responding lymphocyte subpopulation was Thy-1.2-, Lyt-1-, 2-, Ig-, and Ia-. Maximal IL-3 production occurred approximately 48 hr after the addition of antigen and its production was significantly blocked by mitomycin C. These characteristics were unlike those for the general production of blastogenic factor activity suggesting that IL-3 is responsible for only a minor component of the proliferative response.