Antagonistic and synergistic effects of combined treatment with interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 on mixed retinal cell cultures.

Cytokines play a fundamental role during development of the nervous system. In this work we demonstrate the effect of IL-2 and IL-4 on [(3)H]choline uptake by retinal cells in vitro. Treatments with both interleukins induced a twofold increase on [(3)H]choline uptake. This effect was dose- and time-dependent and inhibited by specific antibodies as well as by inhibition either of protein kinase C or tyrosine kinase activity or of the cytoplasmatic calcium level increase. A synergistic effect was obtained with low concentration of IL-2 (5 U ml(-1)) and IL-4 (0.5 U ml(-1)). However, high concentrations of IL-2 (50 U ml(-1)) and IL-4 (5 U ml(-1)) elicited an antagonistic effect. Our data indicate an important role for interleukins during retinal development.