Inhibition of Apoptosis Stages of Human Blood Lymphocytes after Exposure to Carbon Monoxide in the Presence of Recombinant Interleukin-2.

We studied the effect of carbon monoxide (60-, 75-, and 90-min exposure) on the expression of antiapoptotic proteins (survivin and Bcl-2) in human blood lymphocytes in the presence of recombinant IL-2 in an apoptosis-inducing dose (0.1 ng/ml). Incubation of cells in atmosphere with carbon monoxide in the presence of recombinant IL-2 was accompanied by accumulation of Bcl-2 protein with simultaneous decrease of survivin content. It was concluded that carbon monoxide plays a role in the dysregulation of apoptosis of human blood lymphocytes Bcl-2 (i.e. CO inhibits the proapoptotic effect of recombinant IL-2).