Activation of human monocytes by interleukin 2: Role of T lymphocytes

✍ Scribed by Ennen, J. ;Ernst, M. ;Flad, H.-D.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Weight: 368 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0884-3996
• DOI: 10.1002/bio.1170060103

✦ Synopsis

The effect of interleukin 2 (IL2) on the capability of human monocytes to secrete reactive oxygen species triggered via Fc-gamma receptor (Fc-gamma R) function had been investigated by measurement of chemiluminescence (CL). IL 2 did not activate highly purified (hp) monocytes to respond to Fc-gamma R mediated phagocytic stimulation with an enhanced respiratory burst activity unless low numbers of T cells had been co-cultured with hp monocytes. Supernatants from IL 2 treated PBMC contained interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and monocyte activating factor (MAF) activity. The secretion of both cytokine activities was strongly enhanced by cooperative function of monocytes. The correlation of IL 2 induced secretion of IFN-gamma and MAF activity was striking, however, monoclonal antibody (mAb) anti-human IFN-gamma failed to abrogate IL 2 stimulated and lymphocyte dependent monocyte activation. Although IL 2 had no direct monocyte activating effect, pretreatment of hp monocytes with IL 2 led to monocyte priming: subsequent co-culture with autologous control T cells enhanced the monocyte Fc-gamma R mediated CL response. The priming of monocytes by IL 2 was dependent on the interaction of IL 2 with the monocytic IL 2 receptor as shown by inhibition experiments with anti IL 2 R monoclonal antibody. Thus the IL 2 driven monocyte/T-cell interaction leads to an increased Fc-gamma R mediated monocytic respiratory burst activity and to the secretion of a soluble MAF activity, but there were no detectable amounts of IFN-gamma.