[Generalized autoimmune diseases in BALB/c mice with a genetically dependent interleukin-2 deficiency]

Il-2 has been described as a key cytokine regulating the growth, differentiation and function of lymphocytes. To better understand its in vivo function Il-2 deficient mouse mutants were generated on a mixed (129/Ola x C57BL6) genetic background which predominantly develop an ulcerative colitis-like disease (10). To further elucidate the complex disease syndrome of Il-2-/-mice and to study the possible contribution of genetic factors in its pathogenesis we have bred the IL-2-/-mice to various genetic backgrounds. The resulting phenotypes were analyzed clinically and morphologically and the status of their immune system was assessed. Il-2-/-mice backcrossed to BALB/c genetic background develop a generalized autoimmune disease, which becomes manifest as hemolytic anemia, follicular hyperplasia of lymphoid organs, inflammatory changes of pancreas, liver, heart, lungs and thoracal blood vessels but not of the colon (11). The mutants all die within 5 weeks of age. The changes of the immune system are dominated by an uncontrolled polyclonal activation and proliferation of T and B cells, associated with an increased production of autoantibodies. Treatment of Il-2-/-Balb/c mice with anti-gp39 (CD40L) antibody inhibited activation of B cells and CD8+ T cells, however, it did not affect the activation of CD4+ T cells. In such treated mice amelioration of hemolytic anemia but not of inflammatory lesions in most of the affected organs could be recognized. The primary immunologic change of Il-2-/-mice is obviously an uncontrolled proliferation of CD4+ T cells. It suggests that the in vivo function of IL-2 which is not compensated by other cytokines is the maintenance of self tolerance.