Immunological disorders in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. With special reference to the production of interleukin-2 and the expression of interleukin-2 receptors in the patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Cell-mediated immunological function was studied in 18 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) making use of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The results were as follows: 1) Blastoid transformation of PBL stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was significantly suppressed in patients with DCM compared with normal controls (p less than 0.01). 2) The T-cell subset ratio of Leu-3a-positive cells to Leu-2a-positive cells was significantly higher in patients with DCM than that in the control group (p less than 0.05). 3) Interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of PBL under PHA stimulation was enhanced significantly in patients with DCM (p less than 0.05). 4) IL-2 receptor-positive cells were significantly fewer in number in patients with DCM than in controls (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that immunological disorders including changes in the IL-2 system are present in some patients with DCM and may play a role in the occurrence of DCM.
Koike
S
S
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2