Intoxication of high affinity IL-2 receptor positive thymocytes blocks early stages of T cell maturation.
Early murine fetal thymocytes express functional, high affinity IL-2 receptors as determined by: (i) the presence of IL-2R beta chain (p75) mRNA; (ii) IL-2 (10 U/ml) induced cell proliferation/cellular maturation in lobe submersion cultures (LSC). Under the influence of IL-2, early thymocytes differentiate in vitro into more mature, early single positive CD4-CD8+ followed in vivo by double positive CD4+CD8+ and single positive CD4+CD8-T and CD4-CD8+ thymocytes. Specific intoxication of high affinity IL-2R positive thymocytes by recombinant interleukin-2-diphtheria toxin-related fusion protein (DAB486-IL-2) results in transient, dose dependent blockade of in vivo and in vitro thymocyte maturation. DAB486-IL-2 induced effects upon in vivo maturation are reversible within 2 weeks after cessation of drug administration. Taken together, these results demonstrate the expression of functional, high affinity IL-2 receptors on early thymocytes. Elimination of high affinity IL-2 receptor positive thymocytes with DAB486-IL-2 results in transient blockade of T cell maturation. Since DAB486-IL-2 is now in clinical trial, it is reassuring to note that it does not permanently disrupt thymic maturation.[1]References
- Intoxication of high affinity IL-2 receptor positive thymocytes blocks early stages of T cell maturation. Maslinski, W., Murphy, J.R., Strom, T.B. Int. Immunol. (1992) [Pubmed]
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