The flt3 ligand supports proliferation of lymphohematopoietic progenitors and early B-lymphoid progenitors.

We have examined the effects of the murine ligand (FL) for the flt3/flk2 tyrosine kinase receptor on the proliferation of murine lymphohematopoietic progenitors as well as committed myeloid and B-cell progenitors. In the presence of erythropoietin, FL alone supported scant colony formation from enriched marrow cells of normal mice. However, when it was combined with interleukin-3 (IL-3), steel factor (SF), or IL-11, FL significantly enhanced colony formation. When tested on enriched marrow cells from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice, FL neither enhanced IL-3-dependent colony formation nor synergized with SF in support of colony formation. However, FL synergized with IL-6, IL-11, or granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in support of formation of various types of colonies, including multilineage colonies. Approximately 30% of these colonies yielded pre-B-cell colonies when replated in secondary cultures containing SF and IL-7, indicating that 2-cytokine combinations, including FL and IL-6, IL-11, or G-CSF can support the proliferation of primitive lymphohematopoietic progenitors. FL, by itself and in synergy with IL-7 or SF, supported the proliferation of B-cell progenitors. These results show that FL has a wide range of activities in early hematopoiesis and B lymphopoiesis.