Glutamine is required for the proliferation of lymphocytes, but quantitative effects on discrete steps of activation remain unknown to date. Therefore the influence of glutamine (range: 0 mM-1 mM) on the in vitro response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to a mitogenic anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was investigated. Expression of surface activation markers by flow cytometry, presence of mRNA of cytokine genes by polymerase chain reaction, release of cytokines by ELISA, and entering into the cell cycle by flow cytometry were sequentially analyzed. Proliferation was measured by a 3H-thymidine incorporation assay. mRNA coding for IL-2, IL-2 receptor, IL-4, IL-5, GM-CSF, and IFN-gamma was detectable independently from exogenous glutamine provision; expression of the cell surface activation marker CD69 was also glutamine independent. In contrast, later activation events including the expression of the surface activation markers CD25, CD45RO, and CD71 as well as the production of IFN-gamma were found to require exogenous glutamine supply. In contrast, production of TNF-alpha could be observed in the absence of glutamine and was increased to a limited extent by exogenous glutamine. The overall lymphocyte response as reflected by entering into the cell cycle and proliferation was directly correlated with the glutamine concentration of the culture medium. Efficient progression through the cell cycle was found to require at least 0.5 mM glutamine and an increase in glutamine concentration from 0.1 mM to 1 mM enhanced proliferation by 50%. These results were supported by data obtained following anti-CD3 stimulation of a CD4+ T cell clone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)