Activation via the CD3 and CD16 Pathway Mediates Interleukin-2-Dependent Autocrine Proliferation of Granular Lymphocytes in Patients With Granular

Granular lymphocytes (GLs) in patients with GL-proliferative disorders (GLPDs) are known to express the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) p chain (p70-75) constitutively and to proliferate in response to stimulation with IL-2 via the p chain. In this report, we found that the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) OKT3 could induce the proliferation of GLs from patients with T-cell lineage GLPDs (T-cell receptor-@+/ CD3+16+), but not that of natural killer (NK) cell lineage GLs (T-cell receptor-@-/CD3-16+). In contrast, the anti-CD16 MoAb 3G8 that reacts with NK-lineage GLs could induce the proliferation of these GLs but not that of GLs with a T-cell phenotype. Furthermore, the antLCD16 MoAbs CLB FcR granl (VD2) and OK-NK, which react with both Tand NK-lineage GLs, induced the proliferation of GLs with both T-