Induction of prolonged elevation of interleukin 2 in the culture medium of murine splenocytes by their precultivation before mitogenic stimulations and its potentiation by glucocorticoid treatment and restraint stress loading.
Enhancement of interleukin 2 (IL 2) activity in the culture medium of splenocytes of BALB/c mice occurred if the cells were precultured before concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin stimulation. This enhancing effect was much greater in autoimmune NZB/W F1 mice than BALB/c mice, the induced high level of IL 2 being sustained for 11 days of culture. The continuously elevated IL 2 activity induced by precultivation was lowered by the addition of the intact normal thymocytes, but not by precultured or irradiated thymocytes. Lipopolysaccharide-induced anti-DNA antibody production in the precultured splenocytes of NZB/W F1 mice was higher than that in freshly prepared ones. Mitogen-induced proliferative responses in both freshly prepared thymocytes and splenocytes of BALB/c mice treated with hydrocortisone (HC) were significantly enhanced, although the number of splenocytes and the primary in vitro plaque-forming cell response to sheep erythrocytes were reduced. Con A-induced IL 2 elevation in the supernatant of splenocytes precultured before the antigen stimulation was potentiated in HC-treated mice. Similar results were obtained in splenocytes from BALB/c mice loaded with restraint stress. These findings suggest that disturbance of IL 2 metabolism might be involved in the pathogenesis of NZB/W F1 mice, and an increased level of glucocorticoids might lead to a condition in which the body becomes susceptible to the development of hyper-immune responses.
Shibata
H
H
Department of Immunochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Japan.
Yamamoto
I
I
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008934:Mitogens; D004247:DNA; D006854:Hydrocortisone