title: Effect of interleukin 2 on Kupffer cell activation. Interleukin 2 primes and activates Kupffer cells to suppress hepatocyte protein synthesis in vitro.
abstract: Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is an essential mediator of the immune response and has also been shown to be protective in experimental models of sepsis. Macrophages have IL-2 receptors but their function is unknown. We investigated the effect of IL-2 on Kupffer cells, the fixed macrophages of the liver, using an in vitro rat hepatocyte-Kupffer cell coculture system. In this model, endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) triggers Kupffer cells to induce suppression of hepatocyte protein synthesis. We found that pretreatment with 10 U/mL or more of IL-2 primed Kupffer cells, significantly reducing the concentration of lipopolysaccharide necessary to trigger Kupffer cell-mediated suppression of hepatocyte protein synthesis. Higher concentrations of IL-2 (greater than or equal to 1 x 10(4) U/mL) alone were capable of priming and triggering Kupffer cells to suppress hepatocyte protein synthesis. These data show that IL-2 increases Kupffer cell sensitivity to endotoxin, suggesting that IL-2 may play an important role in regulating macrophage responses to septic stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Billiar
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Bentz
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Simmons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2