title: Concanavalin A responsiveness and interleukin 2 production in the snake Spalerosophis diadema.
abstract: Thymocytes and splenocytes (SC) of adult snakes, Spalerosophis diadema, responded to concanavalin A (Con A) in vitro by strong proliferation during the spring and autumn seasons. Con A-mediated mitogenesis was, however, abrogated in summer and winter. Conditioned medium (CM) collected from snake SC cultures stimulated with Con A in spring or autumn could enhance the Con A summer and winter responses and support the proliferation of splenic lymphoblasts. Gel filtration of native CM on Sephadex G-100 revealed the presence of two biologically active peaks of molecular weight 39-42 and 15 KD. However, only one peak of activity corresponding to molecular weight (m.w.) of 14-15 KD was observed when CM was subjected to analysis by sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The active molecular forms exhibited isoelectric points of 5.5-5.8 and 6.4-6.6. The findings suggest that Con A activation of snake lymphocytes in optimal seasonal conditions is associated with the secretion of a lymphokine analogous to the interleukin 2 (IL 2) of endothermic vertebrates.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012621:Seasons; D012911:Snakes / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D003208:Concanavalin A