INVIVO ACTIVITY OF INTERLEUKIN-2 - CONVERSION OF A STIMULUS CAUSING UNRESPONSIVENESS TO A STIMULUS CAUSING CONTACT HYPERSENSITIVITY BY THE INJECTION OF INTERLEUKIN-2

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (4) , 653-658
Abstract
The intravenous injection of hapten-modified (picrylated) cells causes unresponsiveness. When conventional or recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) is also injected, strong contact sensitivity occurs. This IL-2 is effective when given 7 hr after the injection of the picrylated cells or 2 days later, but has no effect when given beforehand. It is suggested that picrylated cells given intravenously fail to induce contact sensitivity secondary to a failure of IL-2 production, and that IL-2 may be one of the second signals which converts a ''tolerogenic'' stimulus into an immunogenic stimulus.