Phorbol ester induces expression and function of interleukin-2 receptors on a human leukemic cell line with a T-cell precursor phenotype

We show here that a human leukemic cell line, PER-117, bearing the markers of a T-cell precursor phenotype, can be induced to express receptors for interleukin-2 (IL-2). These IL-2 receptors could be demonstrated to mediate a physiologic response to the lymphokine for which the high-affinity form of the IL-2 receptor appears to be essential. The phenotype of PER-117 cells corresponds to the earliest identifiable stage of T-cell differentiation, which is defined by the lack of the T3-T-cell receptor complex and the presence of the 40 Kd protein recognized by monoclonal antibodies of the CD7 group. Further evidence for the clonality and T-cell lineage of this cell line was obtained by analysis of rearrangements of genes for the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain and for the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgJH) genes. PER-117 cells could be shown to have rearranged TCR beta genes but no rearrangement of the IgJH genes. Cell line PER-117 provides a model to investigate the requirements for induction of IL-2 receptors in a cell expressing the first T-cell-specific marker and may help to elucidate the role of IL-2 during thymic differentiation and in the uncontrolled proliferation of T-cell leukemias.