The Journal of Immunology, Vol 150, Issue 11 4876-4886, Copyright © 1993 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Functional thrombin receptors on human T lymphoblastoid cells

A Tordai, JW Fenton 2d, T Andersen and EW Gelfand
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver CO 80206.

Human alpha-thrombin stimulated five different T lymphoblastoid cell lines to increase intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations, whereas five B cell lines did not similarly respond. The T cell intracellular free Ca2+ increased rapidly, plateaued within 10 to 20 s, and then declined without any measurable sustained intracellular free Ca2+ elevation. Liberation of inositol trisphosphate peaked within 60 s, and a rapid and sustained activation of protein kinase C was induced. The thrombin- specific inhibitor, hirudin, completely blocked the response to alpha- thrombin. Catalytically inactivated forms of alpha-thrombin failed to stimulate the T cells, whereas trypsin, gamma-thrombin (which lacks fibrinogen clotting activity), or the synthetic 14-amino acid thrombin receptor-activation peptide stimulated T cells, but required approximately 10-, approximately 15-, or approximately 100-fold higher concentrations, respectively, when compared to alpha-thrombin. Stimulation by thrombin receptor-activation peptide was desensitized by alpha-thrombin, and vice versa, but alpha-thrombin did not desensitize stimulation by mAb to the TCR/CD3 Ag. The presence of the receptor on T but not on B cells was confirmed by flow-cytometric analysis using a mAb against the human thrombin receptor. These findings demonstrate functional thrombin receptors on T lymphoblastoid cells that may be capable of activating the cells, independently of an ongoing immune response.

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