Cytokine production by NZB, C58, and NZB X C58 recombinant inbred mice.

Humans with autoimmune disease and autoimmune mouse strains such as NZB have been shown to produce reduced levels of the cytokines interleukin 1 and interleukin 2. The NZB X C58 recombinant inbred (N X 8 RI) strains exhibit certain of the autoimmune characteristics of the NZB strain. Their abilities to produce interleukin 1 and interleukin 2 have been tested. Deficiencies in the production of one or both of these cytokines were observed in the N X 8 RI strains. Decreased interleukin 2 production was not due to inability to respond to concanavalin A or allogeneic stimulation, nor to altered kinetics of the response. No correlation was observed between cytokine deficiencies and the inherited autoimmune characteristics previously studied in these strains. One especially interesting strain was N X 8 RI 16, which made high amounts of interleukin 2 but no detectable interleukin 1.