B-cell-stimulatory factor 2 (beta 2 interferon) functions as a second signal for interleukin 2 production by mature murine T cells.
Purified peripheral murine T cells, in the presence of concanavalin A, can be activated to produce interleukin 2 (IL-2) through stimulation either with a previously described murine lymphokine designated T cell-activating factor (TAF) or with a cloned human lymphokine that has been called beta 2 interferon, B-cell-stimulatory factor 2, hybridoma growth factor, inducible 26-kDa protein, or hematopoietic colony-stimulating factor 309 by different investigators. We and others propose the designation interleukin 6 (IL-6) for the latter molecule. Our experiments demonstrate that either murine TAF or human IL-6 can restore the ability of purified T cells to proliferate in response to Con A or antibodies against the T-cell antigen receptor. Most if not all of the proliferation can be blocked by antibodies against the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor. Furthermore, highly purified CD8- T cells can be activated by IL-6 in the presence of Con A to secrete IL-2. We propose that IL-6 and murine TAF are important "second signals" in primary antigen-receptor-dependent T-cell activation. Whether or not murine TAF is a homologue of human IL-6 remains to be determined.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins