title: Preferential expression of IL-2 receptor subunits on memory populations within CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
abstract: Using anti-Tac and anti-Mik-beta 1 monoclonal antibodies to alpha and beta subunits of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), respectively, a marked difference in expression of IL-2R subunits on blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was demonstrated between adults and newborns. In the adult blood, reciprocal expression of IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta was observed in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Some CD4+ T cells expressing IL-2R alpha were often detected, but IL-2R beta + CD4+ cells were very few. On the other hand, CD8+ T cells expressed significant IL-2R beta but little IL-2R alpha. In marked contrast to adult individuals, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the newborns, which seemed to consist mainly of naive populations, showed only negligible expression of IL-2R subunits. It was found that IL-2R subunits appeared to be preferentially expressed on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with memory phenotypes in the adult blood. Isolated memory (CD45RO+) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, unlike naive (CD45RO-) ones, were able to proliferate in response to exogenous IL-2 as well as the recall antigen. The present results suggest that IL-2R subunits expressed on circulating T-cell subsets may play an important role in memory T-cell function.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yachie
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyawaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2