title: Interleukin-2 production by cord blood lymphocytes stimulated with mitogen and in the mixed leukocyte culture.
abstract: We examined the ability of cord blood lymphocytes to produce interleukin-2 (T cell growth factor) in response to phytohemagglutinin and in the mixed leukocyte culture. Interleukin-2 production was measured by the proliferative response of an interleukin-2-dependent mouse T cell line to the addition of supernatant obtained from cord blood lymphocyte cultures. Using these assays we have shown that cord blood lymphocytes have a normal ability to produce interleukin-2 in both PHA-stimulated cultures and in the mixed leukocyte culture. The normal production of interleukin-2 by cord blood cells indicates, that newborn T lymphocytes are mature, and that a dissociation exists between their normal ability to produce interleukin-2 and their ability to produce other lymphokines, which was reported to be impaired. The reported deficiency of HLA-DR antigen expression on newborn monocytes does not seem to interfere with the production of interleukin-2 in the mixed leukocyte culture.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zakuth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bino
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Spirer
mesh_terms: D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins