title: Responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes from cancer patients and healthy donors to interleukin-2 (IL-2).
abstract: The proliferative response of the peripheral mononuclear cells (MNC) from cancer patients and healthy individuals to IL-2 was studied by use of the quantitative microwell assay of the 3H-TdR incorporation into the cells in vitro. After the addition of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), MNC acquired the reactivity to IL-2 within 3 hr, and reached a maximum after 12 to 17 hr of incubation. Although the IL-2 response of PHA-activated MNC from cancer patient was lower than that from healthy donor, there was no significant difference in the kinetics of proliferation. The maximum response of PHA-activated MNC from both cancer patients and healthy donors to IL-2 was observed at 96 hr and 84 hr, respectively. When monocytes were removed from MNC, IL-2-associated growth of the remaining fraction of MNC was decreased to 40-70% in both cancer patients and healthy donors. Furthermore, monocytes from cancer patients did not affect the IL-2 responsiveness of lymphocytes from healthy donors, and vice versa. The number of T lymphocytes having IL-2 receptors (IL-2R) from cancer patients was lower than that from healthy donors. These facts indicated that the lower IL-2 response of MNC from cancer bearer was due to the decreased number of T lymphocytes possessing IL-2R, and not due to monocytes themselves.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2