Active suppression of interleukin 2 secretion in mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei AnTat 1.1. E

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Abstract
Summary Impairment of T cell proliferation in mice infected with the pleomorphic Trypanosoma brucei AnTat LIE clone was found not to be related to a depletion of T cells or to an absence of functional accessory cells, but rather to an active suppression of interleukin 2 (IL‐2) production. Lymph node cells derived from infected mice failed to produce IL‐2 following Con A stimulation, whereas an exogenous supply of recombinant IL‐2 could restore the impairment of the mitogen (Con A)‐induced proliferative responses. Furthermore, lymph node cells derived from infected mice suppressed both secondary T‐cell proliferative responses and IL‐2 secretion, indicating that the trypanosome‐induced suppression is mediated by a suppressive cell which interferes at the level of IL‐2 secretion.