The growth of cells in vitro and in vivo is regulated by several environmental signals among which growth factors (cytokines) figure prominently. FLT3 is a novel cytokine receptor with intrinsic ligand-stimulated (FLT3 ligand, FL) tyrosine kinase activity. Here, using a specific anti-FLT3 monoclonal antibody (McAb) and flow cytometry we determined the expression pattern of the receptor protein in 55 human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines and in 20 primary samples from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FLT3 receptor surface expression was found predominantly in pre-B cell, myeloid and monocytic cell lines and in pre-B-ALL and AML cells, FL was overexpressed in baby hamster kidney cells producing a recombinant protein that was functional in receptor binding and signaling. Incubation with FL induced 3H-thymidine uptake-measured proliferation in some myeloid cell lines and in 2/9 AML cases. The strongest proliferative response was seen in the two growth factor-dependent myeloid leukemia cell lines MUTZ-2 and OCI-AML-5. Long-term substitution of the commonly used cytokines with FL sustained the continuous proliferation of these two cell lines suggesting that also upon permanent activation FLT2 can function as a mitogenic signaling molecule. Despite the high density of FLT3 receptor expression on cultured and fresh pre-B-ALL cells, no proliferation could be stimulated in any of these specimens. Incubation with the anti-FLT3 McAb had agonistic proliferative effects in MUTZ-2 and OCI-AML-5; and anti-FL reagent blocked FL-stimulated proliferation. To summarize, we demonstrated that FL is effective in inducing proliferation of leukemic myeloid cells and that protein expression does not necessarily indicate an FL-responsive cell. While the present data clearly demonstrate that FL might play a proliferative role in leukemogenesis, further studies are needed to clarify whether the signals provided by FL:FLT3 interaction are confined to a proliferation-inducing function or whether maturational progression could also be elicited in certain cells.
展开▼
