The role of the multichain IL-2 receptor complex in the control of normal and malignant T-cell proliferation.

Antigen-induced activation of resting T-cells induces the synthesis of interleukin-2 (IL-2), as well as the expression of specific cell surface receptors for this lymphokine. There are at least two forms of the cellular receptors for IL-2, one with a very high affinity and the other with a lower affinity. We have identified two IL-2 binding peptides, a 55-kd peptide reactive with the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody, and a novel 75-kd non-Tac IL-2 binding peptide. Cell lines bearing either the p55, Tac, or the p75 peptide alone manifested low-affinity IL-2 binding, whereas cell lines bearing both peptides manifested both high- and low-affinity receptors. Fusion of cell membranes from low-affinity IL-2 binding cells bearing the Tac peptide alone with membranes from a cell line bearing the p75 peptide alone generates hybrid membranes bearing high-affinity receptors. We propose a multichain model for the high-affinity IL-2 receptor in which both the Tac and the p75 IL-2 binding peptides are associated in a receptor complex. In contrast to resting T-cells, human T-cell lymphotropic virus I-associated adult T-cell leukemia cells constitutively express large numbers of IL-2 receptors. Because IL-2 receptors are present on the malignant T-cells but not on normal resting cells, clinical trials have been initiated in which patients with adult T-cell leukemia are being treated with either unmodified or toxin-conjugated forms of anti-Tac monoclonal antibody directed toward this growth factor receptor.