Interleukin 5, a T-cell-derived B-cell differentiation factor also induces cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

We describe an interleukin, termed interleukin 5, that is the recombinant product previously referred to as T-cell-replacing factor (TRF), B-cell growth factor II (BCGF II), or killer-helper factor (KHF). TRF has been defined as a T-cell-derived lymphokine that acts on activated B cells as a B-cell differentiation factor. We have previously demonstrated that TRF is identical to BCGF II and induces expression of receptors for interleukin 2 (IL-2) on activated B cells. We also have reported that KHF can induce not only expression of IL-2 receptors on peanut agglutinin-binding (PNA+) thymocytes but also generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in PNA+ thymocytes in the presence of IL-2. We show here that culture supernatants of T-cell hybridomas that produce TRF as well as TRF purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC-TRF) have KHF activity and generate CTL in PNA+ thymocytes in the presence of stimulator cells and IL-2. Moreover, translation products (recombinant TRF) of Xenopus oocytes injected with cDNA encoding for murine TRF (BCGF II) also exert KHF activity. A rat monoclonal anti-TRF antibody TB13 can block generation of CTL by HPLC-TRF or recombinant TRF. These results indicate that TRF acts not only on B cells as BCGF II but also on PNA+ thymocytes as KHF. In view of the diverse activities and targets of TRF, we propose that TRF refers to a different interleukin, interleukin 5.