To obtain mAb against the murine IL-5R (mIL-5R), Wistar rats were immunized with B13 cells, a murine Ly-1+ (CD5+) pre-B cell line which is dependent on IL-3 or IL-5 for its growth. A first group of six mAb could immunoprecipitate, from detergent-lysed B13 cells, a 60-kDa polypeptide (p60) corresponding to the recently cloned mIL-5R alpha-chain. A second group of three mAb was able to immunoprecipitate a protein doublet of 130 to 140 kDa (p130 and p140) corresponding to the previously

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... ed mIL-3R and mIL-3R-like polypeptide, respectively. One mAb (25C9) specifically bound the p130 polypeptide only. Here we show that: 1) mAb directed against the mIL-5R p60 component completely block IL-5 binding; 2) mAb recognizing the p130-p140 doublet interfere with both IL-3 and IL-5 binding; 3) mAb recognizing p130-p140 block the high affinity binding of IL-5 and hence the high affinity mIL-5R consists of the association of the p60 and p130 and/or p140 component; 4) one particular mAb, 25C9, which binds only to the p130 polypeptide, interferes with only IL-3 binding, and has no effect on the binding of IL-5. These results on binding were corroborated by a biologic assay based on the cytokine-dependent proliferation of B13 cells. The results presented here support a model for the mIL-5R consisting of the alpha-chain (p60) associated with the p140 (IL-3R-like), whereas the p130 (IL-3R) is not involved in the IL-5R complex.