Tumor necrosis factor regulates the expression of granulocyte- macrophage
colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3 receptors on human acute
myeloid leukemia cells
O Elbaz, LM Budel, H Hoogerbrugge, IP Touw, R Delwel, LA Mahmoud and B Lowenberg
Dr Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) acts as a potent enhancer of granulocyte-
macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)- and interleukin-3 (IL-3)-
induced human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) growth in vitro. We have
analyzed the effects of TNF alpha on the expression of GM-CSF and IL-3
receptors on AML cells. Incubation of blasts from seven patients with AML
in serum-free medium with TNF (10(3) U/mL) and subsequent binding studies
using 125I-GM-CSF and 125I-IL-3 show that TNF increases the specific
binding of GM-CSF (30% to 280%) and IL-3 (40% to 600%) in all cases. From
Scatchard plot analysis it appears that TNF upregulates (1) low-affinity
GM-CSF binding sites, (2) common high-affinity IL-3/GM-CSF binding sites,
and (3) unique (non-GM-CSF binding) IL-3 binding sites. The effect of TNF
is dose dependent and is half maximal at a concentration of 100 U/mL, and
becomes evident at 18 hours of incubation with TNF at 37 degrees C, but not
at 0 degree C. The GM-CSF dose-response curve of AML-colony-forming units
plateaus at a higher level in the presence of TNF, which indicates that
additional numbers of cells become responsive to GM-CSF. Incubation of AML
blasts with the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate or
formyl-Met-Leu- Phe (protein kinase C activators) does not influence GM-CSF
receptor expression, suggesting that receptor upregulation by TNF is not
mediated through activation of protein kinase C. On the other hand, the
protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide abrogates receptor upregulation
induced by TNF. In contrast to these findings in AML, TNF does not
upregulate GM-CSF receptor numbers on blood granulocytes or monocytes. We
conclude that TNF exerts positive effects on growth factor receptor
expression of hematopoietic cells.
Volume 77,
Issue 5,
pp. 989-995,
03/01/1991
Copyright © 1991 by The American Society of Hematology