Stressor-induced changes in mitogenic activity are not associated with decreased interleukin 2 production or changes in lymphocyte subsets

Abstract

Splenic lymphocytes from Lewis rats that received presentations of physically aversive electric shock demonstrated a marked reduction in responsiveness to T-cell mitogens such as concanavalin A. This study examined cellular mechanisms which may be responsible for this functional alteration. There was no difference in distribution of T-cell subsets from shocked and nonshocked rats. There was no difference in the production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) nor was there a difference in the percentage of IL-2 receptor positive T cells or T-cell subsets after culture for 24 hr. However, there was a marked lack of mitogenic stimulation in splenocytes from shocked rats when stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187. This indicates a defect in the biochemical pathways necessary to activate T-cell mitogenesis.