Regulation of interleukin 2 and interleukin 2 receptor gene expression in human T cells: I. Effect of Ca2+-ionophore on phorbol myristate acetate co-stimulated cells.

Human peripheral blood T lymphocytes were treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and with the calcium ionophore A23187. The resulting accumulation of specific mRNA for interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R), as well as IL-2 secretion and membrane IL-2R expression were examined. At low concentrations (0.1 microM), A23187 synergized maximally with PMA to induce proliferation, to increase IL-2R mRNA levels and the expression of membrane IL-2R, and to produce a low but sufficient accumulation of IL-2 mRNA and IL-2 secretion. A high concentration of A23187 (1.0 microM) did not show any synergism for the accumulation of IL-2R mRNA, membrane IL-2R expression and inhibited the proliferation of PMA co-stimulated T cells. It did, however, induce maximum accumulation of IL-2 mRNA and IL-2 secretion.