In vivo CD4+ T-cell up-regulation and high dose side effects of refolded duck interleukin-2.

The recombinant duck interleukin-2 (rduIL-2) monomer was firstly isolated under nature condition, and refolded by oxidization procedure. Refolded rduIL-2 monomer induced in vitro proliferation of Con A-stimulated duck splenocytes in a sensitive and dose-dependent manner, and up-regulated in vivo the amounts of CD4+ T cells with low dose of administration. However, high doses intermittent administration resulted in sever side effects in vivo, with typical lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis and nephritis, and lymphocytic depletion in splenic corpuscle. Our findings might be beneficial to studies of both mechanism and applications in vivo of avian IL-2.