title: Deregulated T cell activation and autoimmunity in mice lacking interleukin-2 receptor beta.
abstract: In mice lacking the interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2R beta), T cells were shown to be spontaneously activated, resulting in exhaustive differentiation of B cells into plasma cells and the appearance of high serum concentrations of immunoglobulins G1 and E as well as autoantibodies that cause hemolytic anemia. Marked infiltrative granulocytopoiesis was also apparent, and the animals died after about 12 weeks. Depletion of CD4+ T cells in mutant mice rescued B cells without reversion of granulocyte abnormalities. T cells did not proliferate in response to polyclonal activators, nor could antigen-specific immune responses be elicited. Thus, IL-2R beta is required to keep the activation programs of T cells under control, to maintain homeostasis, and to prevent autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Amgen Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kündig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furlonger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wakeham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Timms
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmits
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Griesser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009196:Myeloproliferative Disorders / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2