Products of activated lymphocytes stimulate Schwann cell mitosis in vitro.
Culture of Schwann cells and endoneurial fibroblasts from newborn rat sciatic nerves in the presence of supernatants obtained from concanavalin A (Con-A)-stimulated rat mononuclear cells resulted in proliferation of both cell types. Con-A did not induce Schwann cell or fibroblast proliferation. Supernatant from a Gibbon T-cell lymphoma and chromatographically purified rat interleukin-2 (IL-2) induced fibroblast but not Schwann cell proliferation, and cloned human IL-2 did not induce proliferation of either cell type. Proliferation of Schwann cells and endoneurial fibroblasts induced by activated mononuclear inflammatory cells may be important in inflammatory demyelinative neuropathies.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015846:Monokines; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000166:cytology; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D013154:Spleen; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D015846:Monokines; D011506:Proteins