title: High-dose irradiated splenic stimulator cells show no endogenous interleukin-2 production but stimulate clonally developing helper T cells to produce interleukin-2.
abstract: The effect of various physical or chemical treatments of splenic stimulator cells on their endogenous, mitogen-inducible IL-2 production and on their ability to induce IL-2 production in clonally developing helper T lymphocytes was investigated. While most methods (T cell depletion by monoclonal antibodies plus complement, glutaraldehyde fixation, heat inactivation and high-dose irradiation) effectively suppressed the endogenous IL-2 production of splenic stimulator cells, only T cell depletion and high-dose (6000-10,000 R) irradiation sustained their stimulatory capacity. High-dose irradiated stimulator cells induced high numbers of clonally developing helper T lymphocytes to secrete IL-2. Moreover, this induction was found to be antigen-specific. Hence, high-dose irradiation is a simple, rapid and reliable method for the treatment of stimulator cells, especially when large numbers of cultures are to be screened.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm, F.R.G.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heeg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steeg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2