INTERLEUKIN-2 IS INDISPENSABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SELF-TOLERANCE

Interleukin-2-deficient mice (IL-2(-/-)) manifest severe immune system abnormalities characterized by an uncontrolled activation and prolife ration of lymphocytes. A systemic autoimmune syndrome results, and hem olytic anemia leads to early death especially in mice derived from a B ALB/c genotype. Remarkably, IL-2 treatment prevents both the activatio n of the immune system and the development of autoimmune disease. More over, adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from IL-2-treated IL-2(-/-) ani mals confers protection to IL-2(-/-) mice, suggesting that IL-2 induce s a postnatal differentiation/maturation of regulatory cells necessary for self- and non-self-discrimination. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.