Purified interleukin-2 induces proliferation of fresh human lymphocytes in the absence of exogenous stimuli.
Highly purified interleukin-2 (IL-2) induced proliferation of fresh human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBML) in the absence of identifiable exogenous mitogenic or antigenic stimuli. Dose dependent proliferation was observed with three IL-2 preparations, including two preparations purified from natural sources and a preparation produced by recombinant DNA techniques. Both T and non-T cells proliferated. Purified helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells cultured in the absence of non-T cells proliferated only weakly; the proliferative response to IL-2 was restored by the addition of irradiated non-T cells. Proliferation to IL-2 was not blocked by the monoclonal antibody anti-Leu 4, which reacts with a component of the T-cell receptor complex for antigen and blocks mitogen and antigen-induced T-cell responses. Monoclonal antibody to HLA-DR also failed to significantly block the proliferation of resting cells to IL-2. The IL-2 induced proliferative response thus appears to be dependent on interactions between different subpopulations of PBML but probably does not simply reflect augmentation by IL-2 of antigen-driven or autoreactive processes.
D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
D000906:Antibodies; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7