Soluble Tac peptide is present in the urine of normal individuals and at elevated levels in patients with adult T cell leukaemia (ATL).
The T lymphocyte-derived lymphokine interleukin 2 and the cell-associated receptor for this molecule play major roles in the activation and regulation of the human immune response. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to measure quantitatively a soluble form of one component of the human interleukin 2 receptor, namely the Tac peptide. In the present studies, soluble Tac peptide was measured in the urine of normal individuals (mean = 92 U/ml), a level not significantly different (0.01 less than P less than 0.05) from the corresponding serum concentrations (mean = 175). The urinary Tac peptide had a molecular weight of 40-45 kD by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and specifically bound interleukin 2. Elevated levels of urinary Tac peptide were found in four patients with adult T cell leukaemia who also had elevated serum levels of Tac peptide. Thus, urine may represent a valuable source of lymphokine-binding proteins that may serve as important markers of immunological activation.
Marcon
L
L
Immunophysiology Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Fritz
M E
ME
Kurman
C C
CC
Jensen
J C
JC
Nelson
D L
DL
D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000652:urine*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7