title: Differential bioassay of interleukin 2 and interleukin 4.
abstract: The T cell-derived lymphokines interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 4 (IL-4, originally BSF-1) both exhibit T cell growth-promoting activity. Recent observations that T cell lines commonly used as indicator cells in IL-2 bioassays also proliferate in response to IL-4 demonstrate the lack of specificity of these bioassays for IL-2. In this report we describe a bioassay method to differentiate IL-2 and IL-4 through the parallel use of two T cell lines with defined lymphokine specificity. The IL-2-responsive CT6 cell line, when used in conjunction with the IL-2- and IL-4-responsive HT-2 cell line, allows for the differentiation of IL-2 and IL-4 in conditioned media.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D002460:Cell Line; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4