title: Interleukin 2 deficiency is a common feature of autoimmune mice.
abstract: IL 2 production was studied in autoimmune mice to assess the role of this lymphokine in the pathogenesis of murine lupus. Spleen and lymph node cells from autoimmune-susceptible mice show an age-dependent loss in the ability to produce functional IL 2. This defect correlates with disease expression and is most severe in MLR/Mp-Ipr/Ipr mice. MLR/Mp-Ipr/Ipr thymocytes gradually lose responsiveness to IL 2 with age. These results suggest that the immunoregulatory abnormalities of autoimmune mice may be due in part to IL 2 deficiency.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000172:deficiency*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines