Interleukin 2 promotes expression of an interleukin 2 receptor and proliferation of T cells stimulated with non-mitogenic dose of concanavalin A

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) initiated proliferation of the cells of T-enriched population stimulated with non-mitogenic dose of concanavalin A (Con A), whereas it could not induce proliferation of the cells treated with non-mitogenic lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Use of monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) showed that IL-2 significantly increased expression of IL-2R on the cells of T-enriched population stimulated with Con A, whereas it could not cause any significant enhancement of expression of IL-2R on the cells treated with WGA. We concluded that IL-2 activated T cells in combination with non-mitogenic does of Con A, and induced both expression of IL-2R and proliferation.