Vitamin E increases interleukin-2 dependent cellular growth and glycoprotein glycosylation in murine cytotoxic T-cell line.

The effect of vitamin E on the modulation of interleukin-2 (IL-2) dependent cellular growth, glycosylation, and expression of certain glycoproteins (GP) was examined in a murine cytotoxic T-cell line (CTLL). CTLL cultures in log phase and growing in 10% IL-2 medium in the presence of 1-16 micrograms vitamin E/ml showed a dose-dependent 2- to 15-fold stimulation of growth (assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation) relative to controls. Vitamin E-treated cultures were observed to grow more efficiently at lower levels of IL-2 compared to controls. Glycoconjugate biosynthesis (assessed by 3H-galactose incorporation) was stimulated 5- to 15-fold by the addition of vitamin E to the culture medium. GP glycosylation as determined by wheat germ agglutinin binding GP (50-64 Kd) and concanavalin A binding GP (38-200 Kd) increased significantly in the presence of vitamin E. These results demonstrate that vitamin E stimulates IL-2 dependent cellular growth, glycosylation, and expression of certain GP in CTLL.