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Interleukin‐2 activates the γ‐interferon gene in newborn mice
Author(s) -
LIPOLDOVÁ MARIE,
HOLÁŇ VLADIMÍR
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1991.59
Subject(s) - interferon , gene , biology , immunology , medicine , virology , genetics
Summary Spleen cells from newborn mice are immunologically nonreactive and do not respond by proliferation upon stimulation with the T cell mitogen concanavalin‐A (Con‐A) or with recombinant interleukin‐2 (IL‐2). We have found that, in spite of the observed non‐reactivity in the proliferative tests, cells from newborn mice were able to synthesize a significant level of mRNA for γ‐interferon (γ‐IFN) after stimulation with IL‐2, but did not synthesize γIFN upon stimulation with Con‐A. Since γ‐IFN is of prime importance for antiviral and fungicidal activities and had complex regulatory functions for the cells of the immune system, we suggest that it could play an important role in the survival of newborns.