Two distinct mechanisms of interleukin-2 gene expression in human T lymphocytes

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene regulation was investigated in primary cultures of highly purified human peripheral blood CD28+ T cells. Two discrete mechanisms for induction of T-cell proliferation could be distinguished by examining cell cycle progression and the expression of the IL-2 gene. Stimulation of cells by CD3 MoAb induced only transiently expressed, small amounts of IL-2 mRNA that was completely suppressed by cyclosporine. Costimulation of T cells with CD3 MoAb and either CD28 MoAb or PMA, but not calcium ionophore, induced a 50-100-fold increased in IL-2 gene expression and secretion. High levels of IL-2 gene expression could also be achieved by stimulation with calcium ionophore and PMA or CD28 MoAb and PMA, but not by CD28 MoAb plus calcium ionophore. IL-2 gene expression and T-cell proliferation induced by CD3 MoAb plus PMA or calcium ionophore plus PMA were completely suppressible by cyclosporine. In contrast, IL-2 gene expression and T-cell proliferation induced by CD28 MoAb plus PMA were unaffected by cyclosporine. The CD28 signal was dependent on new protein synthesis. Nuclear run-on transcription assays showed that anti-CD28 did not affect lymphokine transcription. A major effect of CD28 stimulation on mRNA stability was shown by studies using actinomycin D; CD28 stimulation substantially increased the half-life of IL-2 and TNF-alpha mRNA. The effects of anti-CD28 stimulation were specific for growth factors, and thus differ from previously described effects of cycloheximide on mRNA stability. These studies suggest the existence of two biochemical pathways for the induction of IL-2 production, one that occurs at the transcriptional level and is mediated by intracellular calcium release and protein kinase C and is cyclosporine-sensitive, and one that acts post-transcriptionally, is mediated by CD28 stimulation, and is cyclosporine-resistant.