Human interleukin 2 can promote the growth and differentiation of single hapten-specific B cells in the presence of specific antigen.
B lymphocytes specifically reactive to the hapten fluorescein (FLU) were prepared from normal adult murine spleen by the hapten-gelatin affinity procedure. They were placed in 10 microliter of microcultures singly or in small numbers in the absence of any feeder, filler, or accessory cell. The "T cell-independent" antigen FLU-conjugated polymerized flagellin (FLU-POL) or a selected batch of FLU-conjugated Ficoll were used, and these stimulated division and differentiation only in the concomitant presence of lymphokines acting as B-cell growth and differentiation factors (BGDF). It was found that human interleukin 2 (IL-2), prepared by recombinant DNA technology (r-IL-2), was an effective, albeit rather weak, BGDF in this system. When an IL-2-free source of BGDF was used with the antigenic stimulus, addition of r-IL-2 did not augment the response, nor did removal of IL-2 from the crude lymphokine mixture diminish the BGDF activity.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000276:immunology; D006241:Haptens; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013945:Thymoma / Q000276:immunology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
D006133:Growth Substances; D006241:Haptens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D015847:Interleukin-4