title: [The interleukin-2 receptor].
abstract: The interleukins comprise a class of hormones that have a definite known secondary and tertiary structure under physiologic conditions. The interleukin-2 is the leader in T cell differentiation. The interleukin-2 acts via interaction with high affinity, cell bound receptors (IL-2R). High affinity IL-2 receptors are constructed by cooperative binding of IL-2 to both the low affinity (55-Kd chain) and intermediate affinity (75-Kd chain) binding sites. The light (55-Kd) chain of these heterodimeric receptors is identified by monoclonal antibodies as TAC antigen. A soluble form of these receptors is released in the serum and it can be assayed by ELISA. Extraordinarily high levels of IL-2R are characteristic of hairy cell leukaemia. Smaller increases of IL-2R have been reported in other haematological conditions as well as in other disorders including AIDS, organ transplantation etc. Moreover, we have recently demonstrated that IL-2R is elevated in lung cancer.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preatoni
mesh_terms: D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000503:physiopathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000503:physiopathology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2
vernacular_title: Il recettore dell'interleukina-2.