Detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigens and interleukin-2 beta receptor molecules on mitogen- and antigen-stimulated lymphocytes.
The expression of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) and proliferating cell nuclear antigens (PCNA) were compared for their usefulness as markers of lymphocyte activation. Heterologous polyclonal (anti-bovine IL-2R) and monoclonal (anti-human PCNA) antibodies were used to detect the expression of these molecules on activated deer lymphocytes. Both molecules were co-expressed on blast cells which had been activated with mitogen [concanavalin A (Con A)]. There was detectable up-regulation of IL-2R expression in response to antigen [Mycobacterium bovis-derived purified protein derivative (PPD)] stimulation while PCNA expression mimicked lymphocyte transformation (LT) reactivity. PCNA expression was found to more accurately reflect both antigen- and mitogen-activated lymphocyte activation, as estimated by LT activity. The expression of PCNA was used to identify antigen reactive cells from animals exposed to M. bovis. A very low percentage (1.1 +/- 0.4%) of peripheral blood lymphocytes from non-infected animals could be stimulated to express PCNA by in vitro culture with antigen (PPD). Within the infected group both diseased and healthy, 'in-contact', animals expressed significantly higher levels of PCNA upon antigen stimulation.
Hesketh
J
J
Department of Microbiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Dobbelaere
D
D
Griffin
J F
JF
Buchan
G
G
D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D003670:Deer / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014373:Tuberculin; D003208:Concanavalin A