A suppressor B lymphocyte inhibiting IL-2 consumption in spleen cell cultures from Mycobacterium bovis BCG-infected mice.
In concanavalin A (Con A)-activated spleen cell (SC) cultures from normal C57BL/6 mice, the production of IL-2 peaked at 18-20 hr after initiation of cultures and declined rapidly during the next 24 hr, the decline of IL-2 activity being due, at least in part, to its utilization by the Con A-induced IL-2 receptor cells. In Con A-activated SC from BCG-infected mice, significant levels of IL-2 activity persisted in the 48-hr and 72-hr culture supernatants, a situation which seemed to be related to the depressed capacity of infected splenocytes to acquire IL-2 receptors. In cell mixing experiments, SC from infected mice actively depressed the utilization of IL-2 by Con A-activated normal SC, thus indicating that suppressor cells can down-regulate IL-2 responsiveness. These suppressor cells may belong to the B-cell lineage since they possessed the Thy-1-, sIg+ and FcR+ phenotype.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2