INTERLEUKIN-2-MEDIATED GROWTH OF LEUKEMIC-CELLS IN LYMPH-NODES OF PATIENTS WITH ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA/

We investigated the effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on tumor growth of primary adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) cells in biopsied lymph n ode cells obtained from 14 patients (six with acute-type disease, one with chronic-type disease and seven with lymphoma-type disease). Biolo gical activity of IL-2 in culture supernatants of the cells was detect ed in six out of 12 cases, The IL-2 mRNA in the lymph node cells was d etected in four out of nine patients by northern blotting. However, it was detected in all nine patients examined polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, Lymph node cells from 12 out of 14 patients showed a hig h or moderate proliferative response to IL-2; the remaining two patien ts showed a slight response, These results suggest that malignant grow th of primary tumor cells in lymph nodes may be associated with the IL -2-IL-2 receptor system in patients with ATL more frequently than had been previously thought.