全反式维甲酸对结肠癌不同增殖潜能细胞株VEGF表达的影响

目的:探讨全反式维甲酸对结肠癌不同增殖潜能细胞株VEGF表达的作用；研究VEGF在结肠癌侵袭和转移中的作用。 方法:采用细胞培养观察、ATRA干预、MTT和FACS方法确定结肠癌细胞株CW-2和LS174T的生长增殖状况，用Northern blotting方法检测结肠癌中VEGF mRNA的表达量，用免疫细胞化学观察细胞VEGF蛋白的表达。 结果:MTT生长曲线显示结肠癌细胞株LS174T的生长增殖比CW-2快;FACS结果显示LS174T细胞的S期细胞较CW-2细胞数多；Northern blotting和免疫细胞化学检测在CW-2中有明显的VEGF表达，但在高增殖细胞株LS174T中VEGF的表达更明显。 结论:VEGF在结肠癌细胞株中有较高的表达。在高增殖结肠癌细胞株VEGF表达更明显。ATRA可能通过抑制VEGF表达，而抑制结肠癌细胞的增生。     

Activated platelets enhance ovarian cancer cell invasion in a cellular model of metastasis

Increased platelet counts and systemic coagulation activation are associated with ovarian cancer progression. Platelet activation occurs in the tumor microenvironment and may influence local invasion and metastasis. We used a cellular model of tumor invasion to investigate the effect of activated platelets on the human ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV3. SKOV3 cells were exposed to washed, thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP)-activated or TRAP-naïve platelets under various experimental conditions, and tumor cell invasion was assayed in Matrigel^® chambers. The effect of platelets on the content of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and VEGF in SKOV3 cell conditioned medium was measured using an ELISA assay. TRAP-activated platelets stimulated a dose-dependent increase in SKOV3 cell invasion. Exposure to activated platelet membranes and to soluble proteins contained in activated platelet releasate both contributed to the observed increase in invasion. The inhibition of platelet activation with prostaglandin E1 (PGE₁) attenuated the invasive capacity of SKOV3 cells. Exposure to platelets resulted in significantly increased uPA and VEGF content of SKOV3 cell conditioned medium. Activated platelets enhance SKOV3 human ovarian cancer cell invasion through Matrigel^® and increase the amount of uPA and VEGF secreted into SKOV3 cell conditioned medium. If generalizable to additional cell lines and human disease, this observation may partially explain the adverse prognosis associated with thrombocytosis in ovarian cancer. Platelets, therefore, may represent a potential target for therapeutic intervention in human ovarian cancer.     

Antitumor monoclonal antibodies generated by immunization with mucins.

This report describes the development and characterization of monoclonal antibody EG2.3. Although produced from a fusion that used splenocytes from donor mice immune to bovine salivary mucin (BSM), EG2.3 bound selectively to a number of human tumor cell lines including colon adenocarcinoma LS174T. Therefore, EG2.3 was compared to B72.3, another mucin (TAG-72) binding monoclonal antibody that also binds to LS174T. Like B72.3, EG2.3 reacted with an epitope on TAG-72. However, these two MAbs differed in a number of ways. Treatment of mucin or TAG-72 with periodate did not reduce the binding of EG2.3 to either antigen. In contrast, B72.3 did not react with either periodate treated antigens. Removal of sialic acid from either BSM or TAG-72 compromised the reactivity of both EG2.3 and B72.3. It was concluded that the EG2.3 binding site was distinct from the carbohydrate structure detected by B72.3.     

α-Difluoromethylornithine inhibits liver metastasis produced by intrasplenic injection of human tumor cells into nude mice

The purpose of these studies was to examine metastatic potentials of a human colon tumor xenograft (T6) and three different human tumor cell lines (LS174T, HT29 and A549) using the intrasplenic-nude mouse model system (ISMS model system). A further objective was to study the activity of-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) against primary and metastatic growth of the xenograft and the three cell lines. DFMO is an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, a rate-limiting step in polyamine biosynthesis. Tumor burdens in the liver of nude mice were observed 6 weeks after the intrasplenic injection with LS174T and 12–14 weeks after intrasplenic injections with T6, HT29 and A549. Most of the mice developed primary tumor growth in the spleens. DFMO showed significant activity against liver metastases but had little or no activity against primary tumor growth in the spleens of the ISMS model and against s.c. growth of the xenograft. The studies demonstrated that the ISMS model system is an excellent system for studying metastatic behavior of human tumors and for studying the antimetastatic activity of experimental drugs.     

Combined immunohistochemical and autoradiographic analyses of antigen/antibody interactions in tumor xenograft models

A study was conducted to establish optimal conditions which would allow for the simultaneous localization of a carcinoma antigen and its complementary radiolabeled antibody. Immunoperoxidase staining was used to identify the tumor distribution of antigen, while tissue localization of the radiolabeled antibody was identified by autoradiography. The tumor associated glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72) antigen and the high affinity murine monoclonal antibody, CC49 IgG were used as the model antigen/antibody pair. Athymic female mice bearing either CX-1 or LS-174T human colorectal adenocarcinoma xenografts were used as animal/tumor test systems. Experimental mice each received a bolus intravenous injection of the CC49 antibody which was labeled with 125I (specific activity, 0.17 to 0.26 microCi/microgram). Control mice were given a bolus injection of MOPC-21 IgG monoclonal antibody (tumor irrelevant antibody) which was also radiolabeled with 125I (specific activity, 0.24 to 0.35 microCi/microgram). At 24 hours postinjection, all tumors removed, counted for radioactivity, and fixed in formalin. The avidin/biotin immunoperoxidase complex technique was used to identify TAG-72 antigenic sites on slide-mounted tissue sections. Nonradiolabeled CC49 IgG (0.5 micrograms/ml) was used as the specific antigen binding primary antibody in the immunostaining procedures. Nonradiolabeled MOPC-21 IgG (0.5 micrograms/ml) served as the negative control. Immunohistochemically stained tissue sections were coated with photographic emulsion and processed for autoradiographic localization of 125I-CC49 or 125I-MOPC-21. After an optimal exposure time of 6 days, slides were processed and examined under a light microscope. Results of the biolocalization experiment revealed that the % of injected dose/gram of 125I-CC49 in both LS-174T and CX-1 tumors (30.4 +/- 5.2% and 20.6 +/- 5.4%, respectively) were significantly greater (p greater than 0.01) than those for 125I-MOPC-21 (4.9 +/- 0.5% and 5.1 +/- 0.7%, respectively). In both tumor lines from mice injected with 125I-CC49, dense clusters of silver grains were found over those regions which were positive for TAG-72 immunoreactivity. These dual-labeled structures were also found in contact with, or in close proximity to the microvasculature. Tumors from mice which were injected with the control radioconjugate showed a random distribution of silver grains within stromal tissue but no specific localization to TAG-72 positive regions. We conclude that intravenously administered 125I-CC49 IgG localizes specifically to antigen-containing sites in the LS-174T and CX-1 tumor models. The methods described herein should serve as useful tools for the direct study of antigen-antibody interactions in tumor biology.     

Netrin-4 delays colorectal cancer carcinomatosis by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis

A close relationship between tumor angiogenesis, growth, and carcinomatosis has been observed. Netrin-4 (NT-4) has been shown to regulate angiogenic responses. We aimed to examine the effects of NT-4 on colon tumor angiogenesis, growth, and carcinomatosis. We showed that NT-4 was expressed in human colon cancer cells (LS174). A 20-fold increase in NT-4 expression was stably induced by NT-4 pcDNA in LS174 cells. In vivo, a Matrigel angiogenesis assay showed that NT-4 overexpression altered vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/basic fibroblast growth factor-induced angiogenesis. In nude mice with LS174 xenografts, NT-4 overexpression inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth. In addition, these NT-4-involved inhibitory effects were associated with decreased tumor cell proliferation and increased tumor cell apoptosis. Using an orthotopic peritoneal carcinomatosis model, we demonstrated that NT-4 overexpression decreased colorectal cancer carcinomatosis. Moreover, carcinomatosis-related ascites formation was significantly decreased in mice transplanted with NT-4 LS174 cells versus control LS174 cells. The antiangiogenic activity of NT-4 was probably mediated by binding to its receptor neogenin. Netrin-4 had a direct effect on neither in vitro apoptosis and proliferation of cultured LS174 cells nor the VEGF-induced acute increase in vascular permeability in vivo. We propose that NT-4 overexpression decreases tumor growth and carcinomatosis, probably via an antiangiogenic effect, underlying the potential therapeutic interest in NT-4 in the treatment of colorectal cancer growth and carcinomatosis.     

不同人结直肠肿瘤细胞系对常用抗肿瘤药物体外化疗敏感性的比较

 目的：观察5种常用抗肿瘤药物对这些人结直肠肿瘤细胞系的生长抑制作用,探讨5种常用抗肿瘤药物对11株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系的作用强度以及比较其体外敏感性,研究不同抗肿瘤药物对人结直肠癌细胞系HCT116和SW480热休克蛋白27（HSP27）和HSP70表达水平的影响。方法：采用CCK-8（Cell Counting Kit-8）法检测5种常用抗肿瘤药物分别对11株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系的生长抑制效应,计算50%抑制浓度（50% inhibitory concentration, IC50）及敏感指数,并比较不同人结直肠肿瘤细胞系对5种抗肿瘤药物的敏感性,Western blotting检测HSP27和HSP70蛋白表达水平。结果：11株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系对5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)和奥沙利铂(OHP)均比较敏感,没有明显耐药性;5株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系对丝裂霉素(MMC)敏感,6株中度敏感;除SW1116 外的10株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系都对多西紫杉醇(DXL)敏感,而SW1116细胞对DXL表现出明显耐药性;除LS174T和SW1116外的9株人结直肠肿瘤细胞系都对伊立替康(IFL)表现出中度敏感,LS174T细胞对IFL表现敏感,而SW1116细胞对IFL表现出明显耐药性。抗肿瘤药物作用于人结直肠癌细胞系HCT116和SW480使HSP27的表达上调,但HSP70的表达水平变化不明显。结论：LS174T是多药敏感细胞株,SW1116是多药耐药细胞株,5-FU和OHP为广谱抗结直肠肿瘤药物;化疗药物的敏感性及HSP27表达量检测对临床选择化疗药物具有一定的提示意义。     

The use of multicolor fluorescence technologies in the characterization of prostate carcinoma cell lines: a comparison of multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization and spectral karyotyping data

Recent studies have identified several chromosome regions that are altered in primary prostate cancer and prostatic carcinoma cell lines. These targeted regions may harbor genes involved in tumor suppression. We used multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH) to screen for genetic rearrangements in four prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP, LNCaP.FCG, DU145, and PC3, and compared our results with those recently obtained using spectral karyotyping (SKY). A number of differences was noted between abnormalities characterized by SKY and M-FISH, suggesting variation in karyotype evolution and characterization by these two methodologies. M-FISH analysis showed that hormone-resistant cell lines (DU145 and PC3) contained many genetic alterations (> or =15 per cell), suggesting high levels of genetic instability in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Most chromosome regions previously implicated in prostate cancer were altered in one or more of these cell lines. Several specific chromosome aberrations were also detected, including a del(4)(p14) and a del(6)(q21) in the hormone-insensitive cell lines, a t(1;15)(p?;q?) in LNCaP, LNCaP, and PC3, and a i(5p) in LNCaP.FCG, DU145, and PC3. These clonal chromosome abnormalities may pinpoint gene loci associated with prostate tumourigenesis, cancer progression, and hormone sensitivity.     

Heme oxygenase-1 accelerates protumoral effects of nitric oxide in cancer cells

We examined the biological effects of nitric oxide (NO) and its mediator, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), in cancer. Urogenital cancer cell lines, SKRC, T24 and DU145, were treated with various concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor. The medium nitrite concentration was exponentially increased according to the concentration of SNP. Cell growth inhibition by NO was observed only at high nitrite concentrations (>20 M) in DU145 and T24 cells. Nitrite did not inhibit the growth of SKRC cells at any of the concentrations used. Doxorubicin (DXR) inhibited cell growth in the three cell lines, whereas growth inhibition recovered in the presence of <10 M nitrite. The recovery of DXR-induced growth inhibition was closely associated with an increase in Bcl-2 in the presence of <10 M nitrite. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion was also increased in the presence of <10 and <20 M nitrite, respectively, in DU145 and SKRC or T24 cells. The expression of HO-1 was associated with sensitivity to NO-induced growth inhibition at constitutive levels, and was induced by SNP treatment. HO-1 inhibition by HO-1 antisense S-oligodeoxynucleotide treatment increased NO-induced growth inhibition, and decreased Bcl-2 expression or VEGF secretion in the three cell lines. These findings suggest that the NO/HO-1 system has protumoral effects.This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKENHI: 15390130).     

不同增殖能力结肠癌细胞株iNOSmRNA表达的比较研究

目的:探讨iNOSmRNA在结肠癌不同增殖能力细胞株中的表达和作用,研究ATRA对于结肠癌不同增殖能力细胞株iNOSmRNA表达的影响。方法:采用MTT方法确定结肠癌细胞株CW-2和LS174T的生长增殖状况,用RT-PCR和Northernblot方法检测结肠癌中iNOSmRNA的表达量。结果:MTT生长曲线显示结肠癌细胞株LS174T的生长增殖比CW-2快;RT-PCR显示CW-2细胞株有较强的iNOSmRNA表达,而LS174T细胞株iNOSmRNA的表达较弱;Northernblot检测在CW-2中有明显的iNOSmRNA表达,但在细胞株LS174T中表达相对较弱;ATRA对结肠癌CW-2和LS174T细胞株iNOSmRNA的表达量无明显影响。结论:iNOSmRNA对结肠癌细胞株生长有双重作用,即在低增殖结肠癌CW-2呈高表达,可以通过细胞毒或诱导细胞凋亡等作用发挥抗肿瘤效应;在高增殖结肠癌LS174T呈低表达,产生NO作为信号转导的重要分子,增加血供和血管生成,促进肿瘤生长、侵袭和转移。ATRA可以抑制结肠癌细胞株的生长。     

Isolation of human prostate cancer cell reactive antibodies using phage display technology

Here we describe a phage display strategy for the selection of rabbit monoclonal antibodies that recognize cell surface tumor-associated antigens expressed in prostate cancer. Two immune rabbit/human chimeric Fab libraries were displayed on phage and used to search for tumor-associated antigens by panning on DU145 human prostate cancer cells. For this, we developed a novel whole-cell panning protocol with two negative selection steps designed to remove antibodies reacting with common antigens. After three rounds of subtractive panning, a majority of clones bound to DU145 cells as detected by flow cytometry. Among these, we identified several clones that bound selectively to DU145 cells but not to primary human prostate epithelial cell line PrEC. In summary, our work demonstrates the potential of immune rabbit antibody libraries for target discovery in general and the identification of cell surface tumor-associated antigens in particular.     

Thermo-stability and antitumor activity on colon cancer cell lines of monoclonal anti-CEA antibody-saporin immunotoxin.

Eight saporin peaks were obtained from the purification of seed extracts of Saponaria officinalis L. Saporin peak No. 6 (SAP-6) showed the highest activity in the inhibition of protein synthesis (98%) in an in vitro translation study. An immunotoxin (IT) was prepared from SAP-6 conjugated to a monoclonal anti-CEA antibody 26/5/1 (mab B) using N-succinimidyl pyridyl dithiopropionate (SPDP) and 2-iminothiolane as a cross linker. Under thermal stability study by a DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), the IT showed a denature temperature of 75 degrees C. In in vitro translation studies, the purified IT showed the same activity as SAP-6 at 10(-7) M and 10(-9) M protein concentration at 0, 30 and 60-min incubation effects with mab B and SAP-6 not conjugated at 24-hr incubation periods on human promyelocytic cell line HL 60 and on human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines which were SW 403, LoVo and LS 174 T. SAP-6, mab B and IT had no cytotoxic effect on HL-60. The IT showed a higher cytotoxic effect than SAP-6 in CEA-positive cell lines. The IT demonstrated the highest cytotoxic effect of 51% inhibition of control at 10(-7) M on the LS 174 T.     

Tumor cells infected with oncolytic influenza A virus prime natural killer cells for lysis of resistant tumor cells

Tumor resistance to lysis by resting natural killer (NK) cells may be overcome by priming of NK cells with cytokines or by binding of NK activating receptors to ligands expressed on target cells. In this study, major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-negative LNCaP and MHC-I-positive DU145 cells were infected with genetically modified influenza A virus lacking the non-structural gene 1 (∆NS1 IAV). The cells were used to investigate the influence of ∆NS1 IAV infection on NK cell lysis of tumor cells as well as to prime NK cells for lysis of LNCaP and DU145 cells. While LNCaP cells infected with ΔNS1 IAV showed enhanced lysis when compared with mock-infected cells (93% ± 1.47 vs. 52% ± 0.74), both mock-infected and ΔNS1 IAV-infected DU145 cells were resistant to NK cell lysis. Moreover, NK cells primed with ΔNS1 IAV-infected LNCaP/DU145 cells effectively lysed resistant DU145 and sensitive LNCaP cells to a greater extent than NK cells primed with mock-infected LNCaP/DU145 or non-primed NK cells. Also, NK cell priming with ΔNS1 IAV-infected tumor cells enhanced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and increased granule release in NK cells. The increased granule release was specifically mediated by NKp46, which eventually potentiated NK cells primed with ΔNS1 IAV-infected tumor cells to overcome the inhibitory effects posed by MHC-I expression on DU145 cells. These findings show that in addition to direct lytic activity of NK cells, ΔNS1 IAV may influence anti-tumoral responses by priming NK cells.     

Paracrine signalling in colorectal liver metastases involving tumor cell-derived PDGF-C and hepatic stellate cell-derived PAK-2

In a nude mouse model of colorectal liver metastases, we have identified a paracrine tumor cell/host cell signalling pathway that is apparently required for successful tumor growth. Whereas recombinant platelet derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) and supernatants from PDGF-C secreting wild type LS174T colon carcinoma cells could rescue tumor promoting hepatic stellate cells (HSC) from growth inhibition by serum starvation, supernatants from LS174T colon carcinoma cells with reduced secretion of PDGF-C had much less effect on serum starved HSC. Autocrine growth inhibition of LS174T cells by PDGF-C knock-down was only marginal. In vivo, a prominent inhibition of liver metastasis was observed if PDGF-C was knocked-down in LS174T cells. By whole genome array analysis of host cells of the invasion front and subsequent immunohistochemical staining we identified p21 activated kinase-2 (PAK-2) as being strongly and specifically expressed by HSC. The above described effect of PDGF-C on HSC was found to be dependent on PAK-2 because in contrast to wild type HSC, silencing of PAK-2 in HSC only allowed for a partial PDGF-C-mediated rescue from serum starvation leading to only a slight increase of proliferation. These data indicate that PDGF-C promotes tumor growth via a growth promoting effect on HSC that is at least in part dependent on the presence of functional PAK-2.     

Immunofluorescence detection with quantum dot bioconjugates for hepatoma in vivo

The use of highly specific and highly sensitive immunofluorescent probes is a promising approach for biomedical imaging in living tissue. We focus on immunofluorescence with quantum dot bioconjugates for hepatoma detection in vivo. We synthesized specific immunofluorescent probes by linking quantum dots to AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) antibody for specific binding AFP-an important marker for hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. In in vivo studies, the characteristic quantum dot (QD) fluorescent property is exhibited by the QDs-Anti-AFP probes in tumor and they demonstrate active tumor targeting and spectroscopic hepatoma imaging with an integrated fluorescence imaging system. We investigate the inhomogeneous distribution of the QDs-Anti-AFP probes in tumor by using a site-by-site measurement method to test their ability for distribution studies of cancer cells. These results demonstrate the practicality of QD bioconjugates as attractive fluorescent probes for biomedical detection.     

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression in somatic cell hybrids

Five hybrids (LSB) were formed between LS174T, a human CEA-producing colonic tumor cell line, and BU25.CAP^R, a HeLa derivative which does not produce CEA. All five hybrids produce CEA, but less per cell than LS174T. Approximately 10 % of the chromosomes have been lost from these hybrids. In an attempt to map the gene(s) coding for the protein moiety of CEA, 7 LSPG and 28 LSR hybrids were formed between LS174T and PG19, a mouse melanoma cell line, and LS174T and RAG, a mouse kidney adenocarcinoma cell line, respectively. These hybrids retain between 4 and 21 human chromosomes, and each human chromosome is represented in at least seven hybrids. Two hybrids appeared to produce trace amounts of CEA. These results might represent repression by the mouse genome of CEA production or the production of a structurally abnormal CEA molecule.Submitted by D.S. in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the D. Phil degree, Oxford University.     

Effect of host microenvironment on the microcirculation of human colon adenocarcinoma.

It is generally accepted that the host microenvironment influences tumor biology. There are discrepancies in growth rate, metastatic potential, and efficacy of systemic treatment between ectopic and orthotopic tumors. Liver is the most common and critical site of distant metastasis of colorectal carcinoma. Tumorigenicity and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in colorectal tumors are different in liver and subcutaneous sites. Thus, we hypothesize that the liver (orthotopic) versus subcutaneous (ectopic) microenvironment would have different effects on the angiogenesis and maintenance of the microcirculation of colorectal tumor. To this end, we developed a new method to monitor and to quantify microcirculatory parameters in the tumor grown in the liver. Using this approach, we compared the microcirculation of LS174T, a human colon adenocarcinoma, metastasized to the liver with that of the host liver vessels and that of the same tumor grown in the subcutaneous space. In the liver metastasis model, 5 x 10(6) LS174T cells were injected into the spleen of nude mice. Four to eight weeks later, the liver with metastatic tumors was exteriorized and placed on a special stage and observed under an intravital fluorescence microscope. The dorsal skinfold chamber model was used to study the subcutaneous tumors. Red blood cell velocity, vessel diameter, density, permeability, and leukocyte-endothelial interactions were measured using fluorescence microscopy and image analysis. Vascular endothelial growth factor/ vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF) mRNA expression was determined by the Northern blot analysis. LS174T tumor foci in the liver had tortuous vascular architecture, heterogeneous blood flow, significantly lower vascular density, and significantly higher vascular permeability than normal liver tissue. Tumors grown in the liver had significantly lower vessel density, especially in the center coincident with central necrosis, than the subcutaneous tumors. The frequency distribution of vessel diameters of liver tumor was slightly shifted to smaller size compared with that of subcutaneous tumor. Leukocyte rolling in liver tumor was twofold lower than that in subcutaneous tumor. These physiological findings were consistent with the measurement of VEGF/VPF in that the VEGF/VPF mRNA level was lower in the liver tumor than that in the subcutaneous tumor. However, macromolecular vascular permeability in the liver tumor was significantly higher than in the subcutaneous tumor. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, the origin of liver tumor vessel endothelium, are known to be fenestrated and not to have a basement membrane, suggesting that the difference in endothelial cell origin may explain the difference in tumor vascular permeability in two sites. These findings demonstrate that liver microenvironment has different effects on some aspects of the tumor angiogenesis and microcirculation compared with the subcutaneous tissues. The new model/method described in this paper has significant implications in two research areas: 1) the liver microenvironment and its effect on tumor pathophysiology in conjunction with cytokine/ growth factor regulation and 2) the delivery of drugs, cells, and genes to liver tumors.     

Antigen-independent activation of T cells mediated by a novel cell surface heterodimer (Tp135-145)

A new heterodimeric structure, Tp135-145, which can mediate interleukin 2 (IL2) production and Ca2+ mobilization by Jurkat cells is described. This structure was identified by a monoclonal antibody, MX24, on the surface of either T3/TcR+ or T3/TcR- human T cell lines as well as on B cell lines. Biochemical studies showed that antibody MX24 precipitated two polypeptide chains of 135 and 145 kDa, respectively, in lysates from 125I-labeled T cells. After reduction the 135-kDa polypeptide chain shifted to 140 kDa, whereas the molecular mass of the other polypeptide remained unchanged. The apparent molecular masses of the desialylated polypeptides differed by 5 kDa. No common peptide fragments between the two polypeptide chains were found after limited proteolysis by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. The expression of Tp135-145 was independent of the expression of the T3/TcR molecular complex. Incubation of Jurkat cells with anti-TcR or anti-T3 monoclonal antibody induced complete modulation only of the T3/TcR complex but not of Tp135-145. Conversely complete modulation of Tp135-145 was observed after incubation of these cells with MX24 antibody. Functional studies showed that anti-Tp135-145 antibody MX24 induced high levels of IL2 production in Jurkat cells. In addition, incubation of these cells with MX24 resulted in Ca2+ mobilization from internal stores. In peripheral blood, Tp135-145 was found to be expressed by 39%-76% of resting T cells in individual donors. Two-color flow microfluorimetry showed that the Tp135-145+ cells were equally distributed on the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. Incubation of peripheral blood T cells with antibody MX24 resulted in IL2 production and cell proliferation. Taken together these results suggest that Tp135-145 is a novel surface molecule involved in antigen-independent pathway of T cell activation.