title: [Modulation effect of lithium on IL-2 and IFNr production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells].
abstract: The immunomodulatory effect of lithium chloride was studied. The IL-2 and IFNr production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) were assayed in 52 normal subjects and 156 cancer patients. IL-2 and IFN-r levels in lymphoma patients were lower than in normal subjects. The IFNr level in the majority of patients with lung and esophageal cancers was abnormal but the IL-2 level was within the normal range. When lithium, IL-2 was incubated with PBMC in vitro, upregulation of IL-2 and IFNr production was observed in normal subjects and cancer patients. The IL-2 and IFNr levels were significantly increased by both lithium and rIL-2 but the effect of lithium was more potent. Lithium upregulated IFNr in 70% of patients with low levels whereas it did so in only 10-20% of patients with high levels. Therefore, lithium is a promising new immunoregulatory agent for clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008094:Lithium; D018021:Lithium Chloride