TY - JOUR
T1 - Interleukin-2 induces apoptosis in mouse thymocytes
AU - Migliorati, Graziella
AU - Nicoletti, Ildo
AU - Pagliacci, Maria Cristina
AU - D’Adamio, Luciano
AU - Riccardi, Carlo
PY - 1993/1
Y1 - 1993/1
N2 - Interleukins play a role in the process of T-cell development and, like other cytokines, seem able to modulate apoptosis. Interleukin-2 has been reported to inhibit apoptotic cell death of thymocytes induced in vitro by either activation of CD3/TCR complex or treatmet with glu-cocorticoid hormone. We demonstrate here that IL-2 can provoke DNA fragmentation and cell death of CD4+CD8+ mouse thymocytes by activating an endogenous apoptotic pathway. Thymocytes, incubated with high IL-2 concentrations in vitro, showed the morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells, including, reduction in nuclear size, derangement in chromatin structure, and DNA fragmentation in oligonucleosomal subunits. Inhibition of mRNA and protein synthesis and addition of the PKC-inhibitor H-7, Zn2+ ions, and IL-4 counteracted the IL-2 effect. These data suggest that high IL-2 concentrations may induce an active process of cell death on mouse thymocytes in vitro.
AB - Interleukins play a role in the process of T-cell development and, like other cytokines, seem able to modulate apoptosis. Interleukin-2 has been reported to inhibit apoptotic cell death of thymocytes induced in vitro by either activation of CD3/TCR complex or treatmet with glu-cocorticoid hormone. We demonstrate here that IL-2 can provoke DNA fragmentation and cell death of CD4+CD8+ mouse thymocytes by activating an endogenous apoptotic pathway. Thymocytes, incubated with high IL-2 concentrations in vitro, showed the morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells, including, reduction in nuclear size, derangement in chromatin structure, and DNA fragmentation in oligonucleosomal subunits. Inhibition of mRNA and protein synthesis and addition of the PKC-inhibitor H-7, Zn2+ ions, and IL-4 counteracted the IL-2 effect. These data suggest that high IL-2 concentrations may induce an active process of cell death on mouse thymocytes in vitro.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027480558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027480558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1006/cimm.1993.1005
DO - 10.1006/cimm.1993.1005
M3 - Article
C2 - 8425230
AN - SCOPUS:0027480558
SN - 0008-8749
VL - 146
SP - 52
EP - 61
JO - Cellular Immunology
JF - Cellular Immunology
IS - 1
ER -