title: Use of staphylococcal enterotoxin A-induced lymphoproliferation and interleukin 2 production as indicators of immunotoxicity.
abstract: Suppression of mitogen-induced splenocyte lymphoproliferation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) production can be used as indicators of immunotoxicity. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is both a potent mitogen and the most potent in vitro inducer of IL-2 production that has been described. An in vitro system was used to measure impairment of SEA-induced lymphoproliferation and IL-2 production using splenocytes from female C57BL/6 mice dosed with either cyclosporin A (30 mg/kg/day, 14 days), benzene (220, 440, or 880 mg/kg/day, 14 days), or vehicle. Splenocytes were stimulated with either concanavalin A (con A) or SEA. Benzene- and cyclosporin A-treated mice demonstrated significant decreases in splenocyte proliferation. IL-2 production was determined by incubating splenocyte culture supernatants with IL-2 dependent cytotoxic T-cells (CTLL-2), pulsing with 3H-thymidine, and determining amount of incorporated label. Cell proliferation and IL-2 production were inhibited by both benzene and cyclosporin A, effects more clearly demonstrated using SEA than con A. SEA was a superior mitogen compared to con A in the assays evaluated here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins; D007376:Interleukin-2; C026066:enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001554:Benzene