title: Drug-induced modulation of IL-2 production in experimental murine trypanosomiasis.
abstract: In this study we evaluated the effects of N-acetyl-cysteine and indomethacin in restoring IL-2 producing ability in vitro of splenocytes from mice infected with Trypanosoma equiperdum. Spleen cells from these mice were found to produce significantly lower levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in response to mitogen stimulation than spleen cells from uninfected control mice. This was accompanied by considerable suppression of IL-2-receptor expression, which was not attributable to the elimination of a particular T-cell subset. Impairment of IL-2 production was not due to a primary defect in L3T4+ T-cells, but rather to the presence of both adherent and non-adherent suppressor cells that apparently acted via prostaglandin-independent and dependent mechanisms. In fact, the IL-2-producing ability of lymphocytes from infected mice could be efficiently restored by in vitro exposure to N-acetyl-cysteine or indomethacin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perito
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bistoni
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000111:Acetylcysteine; D007213:Indomethacin