title: Human recombinant interleukin-2 is mitogenic to human lymphocytes.
abstract: Reported herein are the results of studies demonstrating that purified recombinant human interleukin-2 (hrlL-2) is a potent mitogen for lymphocytes of healthy human donors. The specificity of the hrlL-2-induced response was defined in experiments in which mitogenicity of this T cell growth-promoting lymphokine was completely abrogated by blocking the T cell membrane receptor for IL-2 with the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody. Depletion of adherent mononuclear leukocytes markedly reduced lymphocyte reactivity to hrlL-2, but the response could be fully recovered by the addition of interleukin-1 (IL-1). Increased proliferative responses were observed using a combination of hrlL-2 and a monoclonal antibody OKT3 that defines a T cell membrane antigen. These studies demonstrate that hrlL-2, as with antigens and phytomitogens, may serve as the first signal of T cell proliferation.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2