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Interleukin-2 augments natural killer cell activity

Abstract

The lymphokine interleukin-2 (IL-2; also termed T-cell growth factor) causes the proliferation of activated T-cell clones1,2. Effector T-cell lines exhibiting suppressor, helper and cytotoxic activities have been established by growth of appropriately stimulated cells in IL-2-containing medium3,4. In addition, IL-2 has been shown to provide requisite T-cell ‘help’ in a number of in vitro immune response assays, including the generation of cytotoxic T cells from thymocyte (and nude spleen cell) cultures5 and the induction of erythrocyte-specific antibody in T cell-deficient populations6. We report here a further activity of IL-2, one previously attributed solely to interferon—the ability to augment the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells. This conclusion was reached from the observation that preparations of IL-2, which lacked interferon, caused a rapid increase in NK cell activity. This ability to augment cytotoxity was removed from IL-2 preparations, not only by absorption with IL-2 receptor bearing cells, but also by precipitation with a monoclonal antibody directed against IL-2.

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Henney, C., Kuribayashi, K., Kern, D. et al. Interleukin-2 augments natural killer cell activity. Nature 291, 335–338 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/291335a0

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