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Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1985 Feb;59(2):505–511.

Dissociated production of interleukin-2 and immune (gamma) interferon by phytohaemagglutinin stimulated lymphocytes in healthy infants.

T Miyawaki, H Seki, K Taga, H Sato, N Taniguchi
PMCID: PMC1577143  PMID: 3919982

Abstract

Cord blood lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) to produce interleukin-2 (IL-2) and immune interferon (IFN-gamma). On PHA stimulation, cord blood lymphocytes produced efficiently IL-2 as much as adult ones. Antiviral activity generated on PHA stimulation was shown to consist mainly of IFN-gamma as assessed by the sensitivity to pH 2.0 treatment and neutralization with anti-human IFN-gamma antibody. In contrast to IL-2 production, cord blood lymphocytes released extremely low levels of IFN-gamma following PHA stimulation. The producing ability of IFN-gamma by lymphocytes on PHA stimulation gradually increased with child growth, but was significantly low at 1-2 years of age as compared with adult controls. Around 3 years of age or later, the producing ability of IFN-gamma by lymphocytes on PHA stimulation attained levels comparable to those of adult cells. These results suggested that IL-2 producing ability of lymphocytes appeared to be at a mature stage at birth, whereas lymphocytes in the early human life might be relatively deficient in their ability to produce IFN-gamma.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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