title: Sequence and functional characterization of feline interleukin 2.
abstract: Since the discovery of its involvement in the pathogenesis of feline immunodeficiency virus infection ("cat AIDS") and feline leukemia virus infection, the role of feline interleukin 2 (IL-2) has been a focus of particular interest. The purpose of this study was to clone feline IL-2 cDNA, as well as synthesize bioactive recombinant feline IL-2. The isolation of cDNA encoding feline IL-2 was carried out using a PCR-based strategy and screening of a feline leukocyte cDNA library. Feline IL-2 consists of 154 amino acids including a putative signal sequence and has 81%, 69%, 60% and 64% identity to human, bovine, murine and rat IL-2, respectively. Feline IL-2 cDNA was expressed in COS-7 cells. The secreted protein has CTLL-4 murine cytotoxic T cell proliferative activity characteristic of authentic IL-2. These data confirm the synthesis of bioactive recombinant feline IL-2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Padrid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Alegre
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yuhki
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Leff
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002415:Cats; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins