Interleukin 12 mediated prevention of tumorigenicity in murine cell lines derived from CD40L transgenic mice

Cells derived from superficial and deep lymph nodes of transgenic mice in which CD40L expression was deregulated were grown in vitro. After 3 months of interleukin 3 or interleukin 12 stimulation, the cells remained interleukin-independent, showed the same in vitro growth characteristics, but LIL3+ cells were tumorigenic when reinoculated in vivo in nude mice, whereas interleukin-12-treated cells did not induce tumors. Our cell lines could provide a useful model to study the perturbation of the homeostasis allowing us to elucidate the role of cytokines as modulators of differentiation in the lymphoproliferative disorders.