Analysis and Characterization of the Interleukin 2 Receptor α and β Chain Expression inCD4 − CD8 − Cells

The differential effects that the binding of interleukin 2(IL‐2)to its β or αβ receptors might induce in two different CD4 − CD8 − T‐cell lines were analysed. While LDl. T3b, a double‐negative T cell derived from MRL/Ipr mice, constitutively expressed high levels of the IL‐2R β chain, YAC‐1, a Moloney sarcoma virus‐transformed CD4 − CD8 − T cell, expressed (as an activated T cell) the β and α chains. The presence of IL‐2 in the culture medium was lethal for LDl. T3b cells, while it had no effect on the growth of YAC‐1 cells. IL‐2 increased the exprcssion of the β chain and, to a lesser extent, of the α chain in YAC‐1 cells. In addition, other markers such as CD4 and CD5 were induced by IL‐2 in this celt line.