Murine and human interleukin 2 can substitute for the thymus in immune responses to TNP-Ficoll in Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad.
Extirpation of the thymuses of Xenopus laevis abrogates the capacity to respond to trinitrophenol (TNP)-Ficoll regardless of the age of the animal. This thymus requirement can be substituted for by a variety of treatments which stimulate thymus-derived (T)cell activity in the periphery, such as the rejection of allogeneic skin grafts, immunologic challenge with thymus-dependent immunogens, (e.g., heterologous erythrocytes), or plant-derived lectins (e.g., concanavalin A). Here we report that interleukin 2 (IL-2), a T-cell-produced hormone of mammalian origin also substitutes for this thymus requirement in thymectomized toads.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005362:Ficoll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D010802:Phylogeny; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; C020529:TNP-ficoll; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D005362:Ficoll