IL-2 rescues antigen-specific T cells from radiation or dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. Correlation with induction of Bcl-2.
Most studies of apoptosis on T lymphocytes have examined the effects of various stimuli on immature T cells from the thymus. Previous work has indicated that apoptosis of mature memory T cells may be an important pathophysiologic mechanism in diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and autoimmunity. The effect of IL-2 on apoptosis of T cells is not clear. Therefore, we studied the ability of IL-2 to rescue Ag-specific T cells from apoptosis. We found that IL-2, in a dose-dependent manner, prevented T cells from entering apoptosis induced by gamma-irradiation, mitomycin C, or dexamethasone. This effect was specific for IL-2; IL-1 beta, IL-6, or IFN-gamma could not reproduce it. In contrast to Ag-specific T cells, immature T cells and naive mature peripheral T cells could not be rescued by IL-2 from radiation-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis rescue by IL-2 was associated with the induction of bcl-2 mRNA and protein. This induction could not be attributed to the effects of IL-2 on the cell cycle, as T cells that were prevented from cell cycle progression by irradiation showed a similar induction of bcl-2. Rescued cells retained their Ag-specific proliferative capacity and in vivo functions. These findings demonstrate that the apoptotic death of Ag-specific T cell lines, cells which can be regarded as a model for memory T cells, can be prevented with IL-2. This effect may have important therapeutic implications for patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and for patients with AIDS who develop immunodeficiency primarily as a result of loss of Ag-specific memory T cells.
Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects
D000941:Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016685:Mitomycin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007371:Interferon-gamma