Production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by human T-lymphocytes can be augmented by costimulation via CD28. It has been reported that signaling via CD28 acts by stabilization of lymphokine mRNAs (Lindsten, T., June, C. H., Ledbetter, J. A., Stella, G., and Thompson, C. B. (1989) Science 244, 339-343). Here we demonstrate that costimulation via CD28 also provides a signal which activates transcription of the IL-2 gene A CD28-responsive element (CD28RE) in the IL-2 enhancer at position -162 to -152 was identified. This so far unidentified element shows sequence similarity to the kB enhancer motif. In vitro binding studies have demonstrated that the via CD28-induced signal synergizes with either phorbol myristate acetate or anti-CD3 for the induction of a nuclear factor that binds CD28RE and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) NF-kB motif. The significance of the sequence similarity of CD28RE with the kB enhancer motif was demonstrated by cross-competition studies using unlabeled CD28RE, HIV-1 NF-kB binding site, and a mutated version of the NF-kB motif. In addition, we found that NF-kB-dependent reporter gene expression was induced by costimulation via CD28. These results indicate that besides an effect on lymphokine mRNA stabilization, stimulation via CD28 acts at the level of transcription via coinduction of an NF-kB-like activity.