Lysozyme as a Regulator of Interleukin-2-Activated Lymphocyte Proliferation

• Published in: In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal 1993-10, Vol.29A (10), p.795-806
• Main Authors: Yabe, N, Komiya, K, Takezono, T, Matsui, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Blood; CD3 Complex - immunology; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell growth; Concanavalin A - pharmacology; Culture Media, Serum-Free; Cultured cells; Flow Cytometry; Growth, Differentiation, and Senescence; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - biosynthesis; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Interleukin-2 - physiology; Japanese culture; Kinetics; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte proliferation; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - cytology; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - immunology; Muramidase - physiology; Phytohemagglutinins - pharmacology; Reactivity; T lymphocytes
• ISSN: 1071-2690; 1543-706X
• DOI: 10.1007/bf02634347

Lysozyme at 1 to 100 µg/ml of exposure levels augmented or inhibited proliferative response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with interleukin-2 (IL-2). This contradictory effect of lysozyme depended on IL-2 concentration, activating state of lymphocytes, addition time of lysozyme, and serum existence. Lymphocytes increased their IL-2-mediated proliferating ability in response to lysozyme when stimulated with less than suboptimal concentration of IL-2. Lymphocyte activation with anti-CD3 antibody changed the augmented proliferative response into the inhibited response by lysozyme addition whereas elimination of MHC class II molecule-expressing cells augmented the response. Addition of lysozyme within 1 h after IL-2 exposure was most effective in promoting the proliferation whereas additions after 16 to 24 h were ineffective or inhibitory. Addition after longer than 24 h inversely restored the proliferative response. Serum seemed to retard lysozyme action because either sequential serum addition 1 h after exposure of IL-2 and lysozyme to cells or exposure of IL-2 and serum after pretreatment of cells with lysozyme changed the proliferative responsiveness from inhibition into augmentation. Thus lysozyme may regulate lymphocyte proliferation responding to a magnitude of antigenic stimuli and to the progression of cellular events that periodically occur.