OBJECTIVETo observe the relations among expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in spleen lymphocytes, DNA binding activity of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and expression of the partly family members C-Fos, C-Jun after trauma.

METHODSA murine closed trauma model was used, animals were sacrificed 6, 12 hours and 1, 4, 7, 10, 14 days, respectively after injury. Spleen lymphocytes were isolated from injured mice and stimulated with concanavalin-A. The culture supernatants were harvested and assayed for IL-2 activity. Total RNA was extracted from spleen lymphocytes and assayed for IL-2 mRNA. Nuclear protein was extracted, and the DNA binding activity of NFAT was measured using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), the expressions of C-Fos, C-Jun protein determined by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe expressions of IL-2 activity and IL-2 mRNA in spleen lymphocytes were decreased in injured mice compared with those in control mice, and the most obvious decrease appeared on the 4th day after injury. The DNA binding activity of NFAT decreased gradually and reached the minimum that was only 41% of the control on the 4th day after injury, which was closely associated with the decline of IL-2 activity and IL-2 mRNA. An decrease in the expression of C-Fos on the 1st and 4th day after injury, trauma had no significant effect on the C-Jun expression.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that the inhibition of IL-2 expression is partly due to the impairment in the activation of NFAT in injured mice; and the decline in the DNA binding activity of NFAT is partly due to trauma block in the C-Fos expression.