Abstract
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a pleiotropic cytokine demonstrated to be effective in treating cancer. However, the clinical use of IL-2 can be associated with severe side effects including gastrointestinal toxicity (GT). Similar GT symptoms are observed in inflammatory diseases such as CD (CD). Interestingly mounting evidence indicates a role for IL-2 in CD, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Indeed, studies on the in-vivo activities of IL-2 have mostly focused on secondary lymphoid organs and immune cells associated with them. Very few studies have addressed how IL-2 signals impact populations of immune cells in the gut. Here, we aim to identify and compare the effects of systemic IL-2 administration on six major leukocyte population and their subsets in mice using multicolor flow cytometry. While we confirmed previously observed changes in specific immune cell populations in the spleen, very few changes were seen in the gut and gut associated lymphoid tissues. Unexpectedly, a sharp decline was seen in B cells, most notably in Peyer's Patches, in mice treated with IL-2. Our data furthermore indicates that B cells in IL-2 treated mice undergo enhanced apoptosis in Peyer's Patches. Some studies suggest that changes in B cells may contribute to development of CD. Thus, this study may aid in defining ways in which IL-2 can contribute to disease etiology, and lead to novel treatments for CD.
Notes
If this is your thesis or dissertation, and want to learn how to access it or for more information about readership statistics, contact us at STARS@ucf.edu
Graduation Date
2019
Semester
Fall
Advisor
McKinstry, Karl
Degree
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Medicine
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Degree Program
Biotechnology
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
CFE0007865
URL
http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0007865
Language
English
Release Date
December 2020
Length of Campus-only Access
1 year
Access Status
Masters Thesis (Open Access)
STARS Citation
Singh, Ayushi, "Determining Differential Effects of Interleukin-2 on Innate and Adaptive Immune Cells in Lymphoid Organs and the Gastrointestinal Tract" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 6777.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/6777