The panspecific hemopoietin of activated T lymphocytes (interleukin-3)

The combined deployment of cellular, biochemical, and recombinant DNA techniques has resulted in the emergence of a relatively clear picture of the molecular structure of PSH and of a number of other T-cell lymphokines. Already there is evidence that new techniques, in particular, the chemical synthesis of biologically active peptides, will lead rapidly to a detailed picture of the secondary and tertiary structure of PSH and its active sites. Moreover, the availability of antibodies to the receptor and the use of recombinant DNA techniques should result in the molecular characterization of the cell-surface receptor and eventually a detailed structural analysis of its interaction with PSH. Given the likelihood that PSH may play a pivotal role in chronic allergic diseases and possibly in hematological disorders, there are real prospects that analogues and antagonists of PSH may provide a basis for new therapeutic approaches to these diseases.