title: Increased serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: In this study we investigated the serum levels of a released soluble form of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in 42 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 12 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus. Data were evaluated in relationship to the clinical phase and compared with those observed in normal controls (N = 56) and in osteoarthritis (N = 7). Increased levels were observed in both rheumatoid arthritis (mean +/- SE, 604 +/- 49 U/ml) and systemic lupus erythematosus (1438 +/- 481 U/ml). These values were significantly higher than in control (256 +/- 15 U/ml; P less than 0.001) and in osteoarthritis (298 +/- 33 U/ml; P less than 0.001) groups. In addition, the highest values were associated with the active phases of both rheumatoid arthritis (active vs inactive, 771 +/- 78 vs 451 +/- 39 U/ml; P less than 0.001) and systemic lupus erythematosus (active vs inactive, 2108 +/- 489 vs 499 +/- 75 U/ml; P less than 0.001). Our findings suggest that the detection of sIL-2R in rheumatoid arthritis and in systemic lupus erythematosus may represent a good marker of disease activity, which indirectly indicates the ongoing activation and/or proliferation of immunoreactive cells which are involved in the pathogenetic events of these autoimmune conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Padua University School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Semenzato
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bambara
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biasi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frigo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vinante
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zuppini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trentin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feruglio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chilosi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzolo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2