Does interleukin-2 abrogate peripheral immunologic self-tolerance in vivo?
Transgenic mice that constitutively expressed murine IL-2 in islet beta cells (RIP-IL-2 mice) had pancreatitis from birth which resolved into a peri- and intra-islet infiltrate in adult animals. In spite of the impressive infiltration, these mice did not develop autoimmunity to islet antigens. Neither was autoimmunity found to extrathymic H-2Kb molecules known to induce tolerance by a peripheral mechanism, when IL-2 and H-2Kb were coexpressed in the beta cells. Apparently, IL-2 can only act on activated T cells and is unable to reverse tolerance in T cells that have been made unresponsive through inappropriate antigen presentation in our system.
Allison
J
J
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Post Office Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
Heath
W
W
Miller
J F
JF
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000151:congenital / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D006183:H-2 Antigens; C032876:H-2Kb protein, mouse; D007376:Interleukin-2