Cyclosporin A prevents induction of the interleukin 2 receptor gene in cultured murine thymocytes.
Blast formation and mitotic activation of G0-arrested mouse thymocytes were triggered by the addition of concanavalin A plus interleukin 2 (IL-2) to the culture medium. When added alone, Con A induces within 6 hr a complex reprogramming ("priming") that comprises the activation of the IL-2 receptor gene. The primed thymocytes are competent to interact with IL-2 and to respond to its growth-promoting effect, which corresponds to blast formation and mitotic activation. Cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressive cyclic peptide of fungal origin, prevents in T lymphocytes the activation of a set(s) of genes encoding lymphokines and the IL-2 receptor but does not affect their expression once they have been activated. The biomedical implications of these observations are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D013950:Thymus Gland
D003524:Cyclosporins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA