The bone marrow peptide (myelopeptide-2) abolishes induced by human leukemia HL-60 cell suppression of T lymphocytes.

Myelopeptide-2 (MP-2) Leu-Val-Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp originally isolated from the supernatant of porcine bone marrow cell culture was examined for its capacity to restore the mitogen responsiveness of human T lymphocytes inhibited by conditioned media from HL-60 leukemia cells (HL-60 CM). MP-2 added to phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated T lymphocytes together with HL-60 CM abolished the suppression of T-lymphocyte proliferative response in a dose-dependent manner. Another bone marrow hexapeptide Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe-Pro-Thr, MP-1, did not display this action in that experimental system. MP-2 was also effective being added after T-lymphocyte exposure to HL-60 CM which suggests its recovery but not protective effect on T-lymphocytes treated with tumor cell products. Flow cytometry analysis revealed HL-60 CM influence on the expression of CD3 and CD4 T-cell surface antigens. It decreased the content of CD3- and CD4-positive cells and induced the appearance of T lymphocytes with reduced density of CD3 and CD4 antigens. MP-2 was able to restore the T-cell phenotype altered by HL-60 CM. MP-2 seems to be promising in anti-tumor therapy.