title: Augmentation of proliferation and in vitro production of cytotoxic cells by 2-ME in the rat.
abstract: Low concentrations (10(-5) to 10(-8) M) of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) greatly enhance the proliferation of allogeneic cells in the rat mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). Studies were undertaken to determine the mode of action of 2-ME. MLC proliferation can occur in the absence of serum proteins (fetal calf serum, FCS) only if 2-ME is present; however, a synergistic effect is present with FCS plus 2-ME, with a 3-fold increase in 3HTdR incorporation with FCS concentrations as low as 0.1%. Kinetic studies show no shift in the peak of proliferation (92 hr) when comparing cultures with and without 2-ME; however, 2-ME-supplemented cultures have significant 3HTdR uptake at 24 hr, and the peak amount of uptake at 92 hr is two to four times higher. Delayed addition of 2-ME until 92 and 166 hr produces a further increase in 3HTdR uptake, indicating that the entire effect is not expressed at the time of allogeneic recognition. L-ascorbic acid, another reducing agent which lacks sulfhydryl groups, elicits a much lower effect on DNA synthesis than does 2-ME. The cytotoxicity of cells harvested from MLC supplemented with 2-ME is increased without loss of target specificity, whereas the same concentration of 2-ME has no direct effect upon the cytotoxicity assay except at higher concentrations where 2-ME suppresses cytotoxicity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D008623:Mercaptoethanol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid