Interleukin 12 (IL-12: natural killer cell stimulatory factor, NKSF; c
ytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor, CLMF) was studied for its effec
t on colony formation and lineage expression of low-density bone marro
w cells from 5-fluorouracil-treated mice, and of sorted stem cells usi
ng a semi-solid culture assay in the absence or presence of IL-3, IL-1
1, Steel factor (SF) and erythropoietin. IL-12 did not support colony
formation as a single factor, nor in the presence of IL-11 or SF. In I
L-3-containing cultures, IL-12 slightly enhanced neutrophilic and mono
cyte differentiation. Both SF and IL-11 synergized with IL-3 to increa
se the percentage of multilineage colonies and the number of colonies
containing erythrocytes, megakaryocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, mon
ocytes/macrophages, and blast cells, but not mast cells. In the presen
ce of IL-3 + IL-11, IL-12 greatly enhanced neutrophil, megakaryocyte,
erythrocyte, and mast cell development. In IL-3 + SF-containing cultur
es, IL-12 further increased colony numbers and a higher percentage of
colonies expressed neutrophilic, megakaryocytic, erythroid, monocytic,
blast cell, and/or mast cell lineages. Colony size and the presence o
t eosinophils in colonies were unaffected by IL-12 addition. These eff
ects of IL-12 could not be reversed by antibodies against interferon-g
amma. Our data show that IL-12 may act as a synergistic factor, stimul
ating multilineage expression of hemopoietic stem cells, probably via
a direct action. The observed activity of IL-1 2, however, required th
e presence of at least two factors, i.e. either IL-3 + IL-11, or IL-3
+ SF.