Interleukin 3 augments the murine primary cytolytic T lymphocyte response to allogeneic tumor cells

The primary anti-H-2(k) allospecific cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) response by BALB/c (H-2(d)) spleen cells in vitro to x-irradiated RDM4 (H-2(k)) tumor cells is weak. This response has been shown to be augmented by CTL helper factors (CHF), a factor present in supernatants of spleen cells cultured with Sendai virus (SC-CM). Conditioned medium from WEHI-3 cells (WEHI-CM) also contains activity that augments the BALB/c anti-RDM4 CTL response. Attempts to separate the CHF activity from interleukin 3 (IL 3), also present in WEHI-CM, were unsuccessful. Purified IL 3 was then tested, and was found to increase the BALB/c anti-RDM4 CTL response by five- to 10-fold. IL 3 is apparently the only material in WEHI-CM that is active in this assay. The response is apparently a classical CTL response because: 1) the effector cells are sensitive to monoclonal anti-Thy-1.2 antibody plus C; 2) the response is dependent on antigen stimulation, and it peaks on day 5 or 6 of culture; and 3) the effector cells are specific for H-2(k) targets. IL 3 must be added very early during the in vitro culture period for maximal augmentation of the response, consistent with possible action of IL 3 as a differentiation factor.