Simultaneous production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and lymphotoxin by normal T cells after induction with IL-2 and anti-T3.

Normal human T cells purified from the peripheral blood and cultured for 6 days in the presence of OKT3 and IL-2 were shown to produce simultaneously TNF and lymphotoxin (LT) mRNA. Both biologically active TNF and LT were detected in supernatants of the cultured T cells using WEHI 164 as target cells. The cytotoxic activities of both cytokines could be inhibited with specific antibodies against TNF or LT. The T cell cultures were free of macrophages, NK cells, or B lymphocytes as assessed by flow cytometric analysis.