Characterization of a monoclonal antibody directed against the NH2 terminal area of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and inhibiting specifically the binding of IL-2 to IL-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2R beta).

An anti-human IL-2 mAb (19B11/beta) was found to selectively block the binding of IL-2 to TS1 beta cells expressing the interleukin-2 receptor beta (IL-2R beta) without affecting binding to TS1 alpha cells expressing the IL-2R alpha receptor. It also specifically inhibits the IL-2 driven cell proliferation in TS1 beta cells. These observations have lead to the hypothesis that its epitope is related to an IL-2 area involved in binding with IL-2R beta chain. This epitope was identified using various peptides covering the N-terminal half (including alpha helix A) of the 133 amino acids of IL-2. MAb 19B11/beta does not recognize peptides 30-54 and 44-54 but recognizes peptides 1-22 and 1-30 with a good affinity. Furthermore, threonine in position no. 3 was found to be critical for the binding of mAb 19B11/beta. A relationship between the epitope of mAb 19B11/beta and the glycosylation of the IL-2 molecule was observed. This further demonstrates that the NH2 terminal area of IL-2 is critical for IL-2/IL-2R beta interactions. Two other mAbs were studied during the course of this work. They served as control for the study of mAb 19B11/beta and provide some additional insight concerning the question of IL-2/IL-2R structure-function. MAb 16F11/alpha selectively blocks the IL-2 binding to TS1 alpha cells. The epitope of mAb 16F11 is conformational and it was not possible to study the corresponding IL-2/IL-2R alpha region of interaction. Epitope of mAb 3H9 is localized between residues 30 and 54 and does not affect the binding of IL-2 to IL-2R alpha.