title: Activation of primary lymphocytes requires prolonged lectin stimulation.
abstract: T lymphocytes are activated by a complex series of events, but the mechanisms remain unclear. One uncertainty is the time of receptor-ligand interaction necessary for commitment to DNA synthesis and proliferation. Although this issue has broad implications for the interpretation of T cell activation data, it remains unresolved. Therefore, we examined the temporal activation requirements of rat splenocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) by measuring proliferation, as well as interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and IL-2 receptor IL-2R) expression. Splenocytes stimulated with various Con A concentrations for 3 h did not incorporate significantly more [3H]thymidine than unstimulated splenocytes. Some increase occurred after 6 h of lectin exposure but maximum proliferation occurred only after the 52-h stimulation. Furthermore, Con A incubations of 6 h or more were required for significant increases in IL-2 or IL-2R. Maximum lymphokine production and receptor expression were observed after the 52-h stimulation. Thus, activation of some primary lymphocytes required only 6 h of stimulation, but much longer mitogen contact was necessary for maximum recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mastro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D014316:Tritium; D003208:Concanavalin A; D013936:Thymidine