Effect of interleukin‐2 on cell proliferation, sister‐chromatid exchange induction, and nuclear stress protein phosphorylation in Pha‐stimulated fischer 344 rat spleen lymphocytes: Modulation by 2‐mercaptoethanol

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Abstract
The effect of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) on cell proliferation, sister‐chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency, and the phosphorylation of nuclear stress proteins was evaluated in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐stimulated spleen lymphocytes isolated from Fischer 344 rats. In addition, the ability of 2‐mercaptoethanol (2‐ME) to modulate the induction of these biological responses was characterized. Cell proliferation, as measured by the mitotic index, increased significantly (P < .003) from a range of 3‐4% in PHA‐stimulated cultures to a range of 8‐11% in PHA‐stimulated cultures exposed to IL‐2. The average generation time (AGT) did not respond to IL‐2 in a concentration‐dependent manner and decreased significantly (P < .05) when 20 μM 2‐ME was includedwith IL‐2 in the culture medium. The number of SCE increased significantly (P < .004) from control frequencies, which ranged from 13.1 to 15.6 SCE per cell, to frequencies of 18.5 to 21.5 SCE per cell as the concentration of IL‐2 in the culture medium increased to 50 half‐maximal units per ml. A reduction in SCE frequency was observed when cells were cultured with 20 μM 2‐ME and IL‐2 compared to IL‐2 alone. Three nuclear proteins, with relative molecular masses of approximately 13,000‐18,000, 20,000, and 80,000, were phosphorylated in IL‐2‐exposed G1‐phase nuclei. Elicitation of these nuclear proteins in IL‐2‐exposed cells was not affected by exposure to 2‐ME.

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