title: Urtica dioica agglutinin, a new mitogen for murine T lymphocytes: unaltered interleukin-1 production but late interleukin 2-mediated proliferation.
abstract: Urtica dioica agglutinin, a small-molecular-weight lectin purified from stinging nettle rhizomes, induces murine cell proliferation. U. dioica agglutinin is a specific T-cell mitogen for both thymocytes and spleen T lymphocytes; its mitogenic properties are strictly dependent on the presence of accessory cells. The kinetics of proliferation are markedly different from those of the classical T-cell mitogen concanavalin A, with a 2 to 3-day delay for both splenic and thymic populations and a rate of DNA synthesis twofold lower than that observed with concanavalin A. The late T-lymphocyte proliferation induced by U. dioica agglutinin correlates well with (i) the observed late interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression, and (ii) the long-lasting cyclosporin A-sensitive early activation period. In contrast, the production of interleukin-1 is not different, both in terms of concentration and kinetics, from that observed with concanavalin A.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Le Moal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Truffa-Bachi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D037121:Plant Lectins; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003524:Cyclosporins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C048862:stinging nettle lectin