Enrichment of gamma/delta T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes activated with interleukin-2.
Human peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured with 1000 U/ml recombinant (r) IL-2 were quantitatively analyzed for gamma/delta T cells relative to their very low levels in fresh blood. For this purpose the moAB TCR delta 1 recognizing the delta chain of TCR 1 was used. In addition IL-2 activated lymphocytes were tested for their antitumour cytotoxicity and their cytotoxic activity against autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes. The results show a significant increase in gamma/delta T cells of up to 35% in human lymphocytes cultured for 20 days with 1000 U/ml rIL-2. This increase of gamma/delta T cells was associated with the appearance of cytotoxic activity against autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes. It seems reasonable that gamma/delta T cells might be responsible for autologous cytotoxicity of long term cultured IL-2 activated lymphocytes. When sorting fresh blood lymphocytes for Leu 19+ and Leu 19- before IL-2 activation, enrichment of gamma/delta T cells could be demonstrated in both subpopulations after 20 days of culture. The question arises whether gamma/delta T cells have any functional significance in IL-2 activated lymphocytes.
Reipert
B
B
Department of Immunology, Central Institute for Cancer Research, Lindenberger, Berlin.
Moore
M
M
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins