GM-CSF is required for the Pseudomonas exotoxin A-induced proliferation of immature T cells in athymic mice

Previous studies have demonstrated that Pseudomonas exotoxin A stimulated the proliferation of immature T lymphocytes within the splenocytes of athymic mice. These studies were performed to determine which lymphokines were involved in the proliferation of the immature T cells. The results of this study indicate that exotoxin A does not induce the production of interleukin-2 or tumor necrosis factor from B cell-depleted splenotypes from athymic mice. However, exotoxin A does induce the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) from B cell-depleted splenocytes. Furthermore, the GM-CSF was shown to be produced by a Thy1+, CD4−, CD8− T lymphocyte. The addition of anti-GM-CSF antibody abrogates the exotoxin A-induced proliferation of B cell-depleted splenocytes from athymic mice. Thus, these data indicate that exotoxin A induces the production of GM-CSF from immature T lymphocytes within the splenocytes of athymic mice and the exotoxin A-induced proliferation of these immature T cells is dependent on the presence of GM-CSF.