# SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN T LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · SCRIPPS CLINIC AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION · 1987 · $179,281

## Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the physiological role and the
immunotherapeutic potential of the T-cell-derived immunoregulatory
lymphokine, T-cell growth factor (TCGF), also known as interleukin-2
(IL-2), and to develop immunoassays for detection of IL-2 in biological
fluids or lymphoid cells.  To achieve these goals, we have prepared
antibodies against:  (1) short, chemically-synthesized peptides constructed
on the basis of the predicted amino acid sequence of human lL-2; and (2)
pure human recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) made available to us by Amgen.

Several antibodies against synthetic IL-2 peptides were found to react with
native IL-2 by several criteria, including the high titered and specific
reactivity with pure rIL-2 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or
immunoblots.  Moreover, some of these antibodies specifically stain
activated human T-cell cytoplasm and, when immobilized on plastic plates,
can bind IL-2 in solution, which indicates their usefulness for developing
quantitative IL-2 immunoassays.  Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were
also raised against human rIL-2 and are highly reactive with IL-2, inhibit
its biological activity, and can be used to affinity-purify IL-2 from crude
culture supernatants.  We are also planning to use the antibodies raised
against rIL-2 or synthetic IL-2 peptides in conjunction with such peptides
to study the structure-function relationship of this lymphokine.

Finally, the studies are in progress to evaluate the in vivo
immunostimulating potential of pure IL-2 in several experimental models
characterized by deficient T-cell responses, e.g., athymic nude mice, drug
(cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin A)-induced immunosuppression, and
tumor-bearing mice.  It is hoped that these studies will elucidate the
physiological role of IL-2 in the immune responses, its immunotherapeutic
potential, and the role that defects in IL-2 production and response play
in various immunological diseases.  (TA)

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3172874
- **Project number:** 2R01CA035299-06
- **Recipient organization:** SCRIPPS CLINIC AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION
- **Principal Investigator:** AMNON ALTMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $179,281
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-10-01 → 1991-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3172874

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3172874, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN T LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION (2R01CA035299-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3172874. Licensed CC0.

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