title: Human airway epithelial cells express interleukin-2 in vitro.
abstract: Human airway epithelial cells (AEC) produce the T cell growth factor interleukin (IL)-2 that likely modulates the T cell lung inflammatory response. IL-2 mRNA from cultured AEC and from Jurkat T cells was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern hybridization. IL-2 mRNA is present constitutively in AEC and is enhanced twofold after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 20 ng/ml) + histamine (2 mM). Normal human AEC secrete IL-2 at rest (7 pg/ml), and IL-2 secretion is increased threefold after stimulation with PMA + histamine; this increase is inhibited by dexamethasone and diphenhydramine. Transcriptional regulation of IL-2 was investigated with a transgenic human AEC line, 16HBE/IL-2 luciferase; there is constitutive IL-2 transcription at rest, and IL-2 transcription is enhanced 8-fold by PMA and 25-fold by PMA + histamine. IL-2 regulation differs fundamentally between AEC and Jurkat T cells. AEC IL-2 likely promotes local proliferation of T cells and may contribute to pathological airway inflammation in asthma.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uyei
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001681:Biological Assay; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger