title: Interleukin 2 counteracts the inhibition of cytotoxic T lymphocytes by cholera toxin in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Cholera toxin irreversibly activates a 43-kDa guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein by adenosine diphosphate ribosylation, resulting in activation of adenylate cyclase and increased intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Because increases in intracellular cAMP inhibit interleukin 2 (IL 2) expression and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) generation and function in vitro and in vivo, we hypothesized that IL 2 may counteract the inhibition of CTL by cholera toxin. Activated CTL treated with IL 2 were protected from the inhibitory effects of cholera toxin. IL 2 also counteracted the inhibitory effect of cholera toxin on steady-state levels of CTL-specific serine esterase mRNA. Given the putative role of serine esterase for in vitro generated CTL effector activity, these results may account for recovery of CTL activity. Although IL 2 restored CTL function and serine esterase transcription, it did not block cholera toxin-catalyzed ribosylation of the 43-kDa GTP-binding protein, nor did it prevent the accumulation of intracellular levels of cAMP. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice challenged with the allogeneic tumor P815 had suppressed CTL function when cholera toxin was administered. These cholera toxin-treated mice died of tumor overgrowth, whereas untreated mice rejected the allogeneic tumor. Co-treatment of alloimmunized mice with cholera toxin and IL 2 prevented death from tumor overgrowth and restored CTL function; 67% of these mice survived. These data provide evidence that IL 2 acts in CTL through a mechanism independent of cholera toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein in vitro and in vivo, despite elevated intracellular cAMP levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moscovitch-Lopatin
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Petrillo
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Pankewycz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hadro
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bleackley
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Strom
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Wieder
mesh_terms: D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000032:analysis; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D004950:Esterases; C022635:serine esterase; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins