title: Evidence for the binding of a biologically active interleukin-2 to human alpha 2-macroglobulin.
abstract: Human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), which irreversibly entraps proteinases through a drastic conformational change, has also been reported to bind various cytokines. The meaning of cytokine binding to native and/or transformed alpha 2M molecules is, however, not understood. In an attempt to elucidate this question, we have studied the interaction of radioiodinated recombinant human interleukin-2 (125I-rhIL-2) with native and chymotrypsin (alpha 2M-C)- or methylamine-transformed (alpha 2M-MA) alpha 2M. Our results show that native and alpha 2M-MA are able to bind 125I-rhIL-2, with binding occurring only with the latter in a covalent manner, whereas the labeled cytokine is proteolyzed when incubated with alpha 2M-entrapped chymotrypsin. The degradation of uncomplexed 125I-rhIL-2 has also been observed in the presence of trypsin, whereas 125I-rhIL-2 bound to alpha 2M-MA is protected. Moreover, the proliferative activity of this cytokine on responsive cells is still maintained either with native alpha 2M- or alpha 2M-MA-complexed rhIL-2 in comparison with that observed with the cytokine alone. Our results, which lead us to consider alpha 2M molecules as IL-2-binding proteins, emphasize the possible role of these molecules as immune response regulators.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microscopie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, URA-147, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Legrès
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pochon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barray
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chouaib
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delain
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins