title: Response of resting human peripheral blood natural killer cells to interleukin 2.
abstract: The present study shows that recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) purified to homogeneity induces a rapid and potent enhancement of spontaneous cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The cells mediating cytotoxicity after 18-h treatment with IL-2 have surface markers of natural killer (NK) cells and are generated from the peripheral blood subset containing spontaneous cytotoxic cells. A parallel production of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is induced by recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2), and NK cells appear to be the major producer cells, whereas T cells are unable to produce IFN-gamma under these experimental conditions. However, the kinetics of the enhancement of cytotoxicity are faster than those of IFN-gamma production, and monoclonal anti-IFN-gamma antibodies do not suppress this effect, making it unlikely that the IFN-gamma produced is responsible for the enhancement. The enhancement of NK cell activity induced by rIL-2 precedes any proliferative response of the lymphocytes, which is instead observed in longer-term cultures of both NK and T cells.
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007399:Interphase; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma