Dissociation between interleukin-1 and interleukin-2 production in proliferative response to microbial antigens: restorative effect of exogenous interleukin-2.
The relationship between the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) after stimulation of human mononuclear cells within an antigenic extract from Candida albicans was analyzed in both responder and nonresponder donors. Culture supernatants from responders contained both IL-1 and IL-2 activity, whereas the supernatants from nonresponders contained only IL-1 and no appreciable IL-2. However, the addition of exogenous IL-2 to nonresponder cultures restored the normal proliferative response. Similar observations were made when cells from mice infected intravenously with high doses of Mycobacterium bovis BCG were cultured; these cells showed a marked impairment of the proliferative response to purified protein derivative. Spleen cells from BCG-induced unresponsive mice failed to produce IL-2 despite the fact that normal IL-1 activity was present in the culture. Again, the addition of exogenous IL-2 fully reversed the proliferative unresponsiveness. Thus, the presence of IL-1 does not necessarily induce production of IL-2, and the proliferative unresponsiveness is therefore due to a primary lack of IL-2.
D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004261:DNA Replication; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D007700:Kinetics; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2