[Multiple types of cytokines secreted by a mouse fetal liver stromal cell line]

A murine fetal liver stromal cell line, called MFLC, has been established and maintained in DME supplemented with 10%NCS for 2 years. Without exogenous stimulation, the MFLC cells spontaneously secreted several types of cytokines, including IL-6, GM-CSF and chemotactic factor. Of which, IL-6 and chemotactic factor were abundant, GM-CSF at low level. Biological activities of IL-7 and IL-3 were not detected in the MFLC cell's supernatants. MFLC-SN induced colony formation of murine bone marrow cells in a dose dependent fashion in which mixed granulocyte/macrophage/megakaryocyte colonies(CFU-GMM) and granulocyte/macrophage colonies(CFU-GM) were dominant. MFLC-SN also sustained colony formation of bone marrow cells taken from 5-Fu injected mice, suggesting that there was a biological activity similar to SCF in MFLC-SN. The cytokines secreted by MFLC might play an important role in T cell early development in fetal liver. These results will be useful for us to analyse the mechanism of T cell development in fetal liver and to study the cytokine network regulation.