The direct effects of IL-10 on the proliferation and lymphokine production of human peripheral blood T cells and CD4+ T cell clones representing the Th0, Th1-like, and Th2-like Th cell subsets were investigated in the absence of professional APC. IL-10 partially inhibited the proliferative responses of CD4+ human T cell clones induced by anti-CD2 or anti-CD3 mAb cross-linked on CD32 (Fc gamma RII)-transfected mouse L cells. Transfection of ICAM-1 or LFA-3 in CD32+ L cells resulted in enhanced proliferative responses of CD4+ T cell clones after activation by anti-CD3 mAb, whereas transfection of B7 in CD32+ L cells enhanced proliferative responses of CD4+ T cell clones after activation by anti-CD2 mAb. In addition, B7 expression on CD32+ L cells was required for activation of small resting T cells by anti-CD3 or anti-CD2 mAb. IL-10 inhibited the proliferation of T cell clones induced by anti-CD2 or anti-CD3 mAb on CD32+ L cells expressing these accessory molecules, indicating that interactions of LFA-3, ICAM-1, and B7 with their ligands on T cells did not overcome the inhibitory effects of IL-10. Inhibition of proliferation of T cell clones by IL-10 was in all instances completely neutralized by relatively low concentrations of IL-2, whereas IL-4 was ineffective. IL-10 did not affect the expression of the TCR/CD3 complex, CD2, LFA-1, CD28, or IL-2R alpha- or beta-chains, nor did it inhibit the induction of the latter two molecules on T cells after activation. Inhibition of proliferation was found to be the result of specific inhibition of IL-2 production by the responding T cell subsets, which occurred at the mRNA level. The production and mRNA levels of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma, and granulocyte/macrophage-CSF were not affected by IL-10. Taken together, these results indicate that IL-10/IL-10R interaction on CD4+ T cell clones and peripheral blood T cells results in signaling pathways that specifically interfere with activation processes leading to IL-2 production. These direct inhibitory effects on IL-2 production by activated T cells may contribute to the general immunosuppressive activities of IL-10.