Identification of a cytotoxic form of dimeric interleukin-2 in murine tissues

Four Cysteine Residues Contribute to Homodimerization of Chicken Interleukin-2

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a pleiotropic cytokine regulating the immune and nervous systems. Mammalian and bird IL-2s have different protein sequences, but perform similar functions. In the current study, two bands were detected by immunoblotting using an antibody against freshly purified chicken IL-2 (chIL-2). The molecular weight of the larger band was approximately twice as much of the chIL-2 monomer, although a chIL-2 complex or homodimer has never been reported. To explain this intriguing result, several dissociation reagents were used to examine the intermolecular forces between components of the proposed chIL-2 complex. It was found that intermolecular disulphide bond promotes homodimerization of chIL-2. Subsequently, mutation of Cys residues of chIL-2 revealed that mutation of all four Cys residues disrupted homodimerization, but a single, dual, or triple Cys mutation failed to disrupt homodimerization, suggesting that all four Cys residues on chIL-2 contribute to this dimerization. Functional analysis showed that both monomeric and dimeric chIL-2 consisting of either wild type or mutant chIL-2 were able to stimulate the expansion of CD4⁺ T cell in vivo or in vitro, and effectively bind to chIL-2 receptor. Overall, this study revealed that the recombinant chIL-2 purified from either Escherichia coli (E. coli) or Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells could homodimerize in vitro, with all four Cys residues on each chIL-2 protein contributing to this homodimerization, and dimerization and Cys mutation not impacting chIL-2 induced stimulation of chicken CD4⁺ T cells.

Expression of a Functional IL-2 Receptor in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Many nonlymphoid cell types express at least two, if not all three, subunits of the IL-2R; although, compared with lymphocytes, relatively little is known about how IL-2 affects the function of nonlymphoid cells. The limited information available suggests that IL-2 has a substantial impact on cells such as gastrointestinal epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. In a previous report from our laboratory, we noted that IL-2 and IL-2Rβ-deficient mice lose smooth muscle cells over time, eventually resulting in aneurysmal aortas and ectatic esophagi. This finding, combined with our work showing that IL-2 surrounds vascular smooth muscle cells by association with perlecan, led us to ask whether vascular smooth muscle cells express an IL-2R. Toward this end, we reported the expression of IL-2Rβ on human and murine vascular smooth muscle cells. We now report that vascular smooth muscle cells express all three subunits of the IL-2R, and that expression of IL-2Rα varies with vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype. Furthermore, we show that, through a functional IL-2R, IL-2 initiates signaling pathways and impacts vascular smooth muscle cell function. Finally, we demonstrate that IL-2 expression increases upon initiation of conditions that promote intimal hyperplasia, suggesting a mechanism by which the IL-2/IL-2R system may impact this widespread vascular pathology.