DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR EXPRESSION ASSAY AND ITS USEIN EVALUATION OF CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN BOTTLE-NOSED-DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS-TRUNCATUS)

We describe optimization of a peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte p roliferation assay and development of an interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R ) expression assay for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Perip heral blood mononuclear leukocytes obtained from both Sea World (Febru ary 1993) and the Naval Command Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (March 1993) (San Diego, California, USA) were stimulated with the mit ogens concanavalin A (ConA) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and evaluated for optimum proliferation and IL-2R expression. Based on these optimi zation assays, standard conditions were established and used to assess immune function in a population of apparently healthy, free-ranging b ottlenose dolphins from Sarasota Bay, Florida (USA) in June 1993. A po sitive correlation was observed between proliferation assays using Con A and PHA as the stimulants. However, IL-BR expression induced by both mitogens differed significantly.