Interleukin 2 receptor dysfunction in mice undergoing a graft-vs-host reaction.

Mice of the (C57BL/10 X B10.A)F1 combination were given a single i.v. inoculation of 3 to 4 X 10(7) B10.A spleen cells, which induces a graft-vs-host (GVH)-associated immune deficiency in F1 mice. Between 1 and 4 wk later, spleen cells from the F1 mice were tested for the expression of IL 2 receptors by flow microfluorometry, using the 7D4 rat monoclonal antibody directed against an epitope murine IL 2 receptor. A reduction in intensity of spleen cell staining with 7D4 was detected as early as 8 days after parental cell inoculation, and no IL 2 receptors were detected by 28 days after initiation of GVH. Furthermore, the loss of IL 2 receptors was correlated with abrogation of proliferative responses to concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide, of IL 2 production, and of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. These observations may be relevant for our understanding of GVH reactions, of immune disorders associated with GVH, and possibly of primary and acquired immunodeficiencies in general.