[A study on interleukin-2 receptor genes in acute myeloid leukemia cells]

To investigate IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) gene expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and the role of IL-2 in AML, the IL-2R alpha mRNA and IL-2R beta mRNA in leukemic cells obtained from bone marrow of 41 cases with AML before chemotherapy were measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The responses to recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2) of these leukemic cells expressing IL-2R mRNA from 8 cases were assayed by 3H-thymidine incorporation. The IL-2R alpha mRNA and IL-2R beta mRNAs in leukemic cells were detected in 28 cases (68.3%) and 32 cases (78.0%), respectively. The IL-2R alpha mRNA and IL-2R beta mRNA in leukemic cells of 21 cases (51.2%) were expressed simultaneously. The responses to rhIL-2 of these leukemic cells from 8 cases were heterogeneous. The responses to rhIL-2 appeared in three types: proliferation, inhibition and no reaction. Only the cells of one case with M5 expressing IL-2R alpha mRNA and IL-2R beta mRNA responded proliferatively. The results demonstrate that the expressions of IL-2R genes in AML cells are a general phenomenon. The responses of these leukemic cells to rhIL-2 in vitro are heterogeneous.