Clearance of interleukin 2 from the blood of normal and T cell‐depleted mice

Abstract

Partially purified, concentrated interleukin 2 (IL2) was injected i.v. into normal and T cell‐depleted mice. At various times after injection IL 2 was determined in the sera of these mice. An interference with the test by a potential inhibitor of IL 2 in the serum was excluded. IL 2 was cleared equally rapidly, with a half‐life of 3 min, from the blood of both groups of mice. It is concluded that IL 2 is a short‐range mediator under physiological conditions, and that clearance was not due to adsorption to T cells.