title: Interleukin-2-like activity in injured rat brain.
abstract: The lymphokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) promotes division and maturation of oligodendrocytes in culture. We now report that a IL-2-like activity was present in injured rat brain. The ion-exchange properties of this activity were similar to those of splenocyte IL-2 but its apparent molecular weight was higher. Brain IL-2-like activity was highest in the tissue immediately adjacent to the injury, reaching a maximal activity of about 8000 U/g tissue after 10 days postlesion. The mitogenic activity of injured-brain extracts on astrocytes and CTLL thymocytes was partially inhibited by monoclonal antibodies to murine IL-2 receptor. However, pure human IL-2 did not have mitogenic activity for cultured rat astrocytes. Purified astrocytes, alone or stimulated in a variety or ways, did not produce IL-2-like activity.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2