Two pathways for inducing interleukin 2 production in MOLT 16 cells, a human leukemic T-cell line: interleukin 1 pathway and interleukin 1-independent pathway.

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated MOLT 16 cells (a human leukemic T cell line, at a concentration of 2 x 10(6) cells/ml) secreted 6 U/ml of interleukin 2 (IL 2) into the culture supernatant during 24 h culture. When interleukin 1 (IL 1) (5 U/ml) or IL 1-producing cells such as human T cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1)-transformed T cell line, C5/MJ, and myelomonocytic cell line, THP-1-O, were added to the MOLT 16 culture at a concentration of 4 x 10(5) cells/ml, far greater IL 2 production (greater than 65 U/ml) was observed. The activity of soluble IL 1 and membrane-associated IL 1 produced by these accessory (A) cells was completely neutralized by the treatment with anti-human IL 1 antibody. In sharp contrast, MOLT 16 cells co-cultured with BALL-1 cells (a human leukemic B cell line) resulted in comparable increases in IL 2 production (175 U/ml), although no IL 1 or IL 1-like activity was detected either in the supernatants or in the cell lysates of BALL-1 cells. An augmentation of IL 2 production was also induced with paraformaldehyde-fixed BALL-1 cells, and this augmentation could not be inhibited by anti-human IL 1 antibody. These data indicate that MOLT 16 provides a model for determining pathways for activating T cells leading to IL 2 production in response to mitogens. Two pathways have been described in the report: one involving secreted or membrane-associated IL 1, and a second independent pathway which involves contact of surface membranes in the presence of PHA.