Murine recombinant interleukin-3 induces recovery of T and B cells in
irradiated mice
D Frasca, G Leter and G Doria
Laboratory of Immunobiology, AMB-EFF, ENEA, Casaccia, Rome, Italy.
Injection of murine recombinant interleukin-3 (IL-3) into (C57BL/10 x
DBA/2)F1 mice, sublethally irradiated with 300 cGy and killed 14 days
later, induced in the thymus recovery of the cell number and mitotic
responsiveness to concanavalin A (Con A), as well as an increase in number
of double-negative CD4-CD8-, double-positive CD4+ CD8+, and single-positive
CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ cells. Also in the spleen, the cell count and mitotic
responsiveness to Con A and lipopolysaccharide were increased to normal
levels by IL-3 treatment. If the assays were performed 21 or 28 days after
irradiation, IL-3 treatment was able to restore thymus and spleen cell
counts as well as T- and B-cell mitotic responsiveness, even when mice were
exposed to 400 or 500 cGy, respectively. These results altogether indicate
that IL-3 induces differentiation and growth of thymocytes and recovery of
T- and B-cell functions in mice exposed to sublethal irradiation.
Volume 83,
Issue 6,
pp. 1563-1568,
03/15/1994
Copyright © 1994 by The American Society of Hematology
