Soluble interleukin 2-receptor alpha secretion is related to altered interleukin 2 production in thermally injured patients.
This study examines the relationship between the capacity for interleukin-2 (IL2) production and the magnitude of the in vitro and in vivo secretion of IL2R alpha in 43 patients with major burns (30-90 per cent total body surface area). Throughout the postburn period a significant (P less than 0.001-0.05) proportion of patients studied demonstrated increasingly high levels of serum IL2 ranging from 2 to over 500 U/mL. Serum IL2R alpha also increased, reaching its highest levels at 15-40 days postburn, while serum IL2 gradually declined. In this period in vitro IL2 production and IL2R alpha secretion in patient's cultures were significantly reduced compared to control. However, in parallel cultures supplemented with exogenous IL2, IL2R alpha levels could be significantly increased (2.5 fold). IL2R alpha levels also approached normal in peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures from recovering patients whose in vitro IL2 production had improved. These observations suggest that in the burn patient altered synthesis and/or secretion of the soluble form of IL2R alpha may be related to IL2 content. Above physiological levels of IL2R alpha and its ligand in postburn serum also indicate that thermal injury induces strong in vivo activation of the lymphoid system.
Sunnybrook Medical Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J A
JA
Teodorczyk-Injeyan
B G
BG
Sparkes
G B
GB
Mills
W J
WJ
Peters
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002056:Burns / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012995:Solubility
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2