title: Presence of preactivated T cells in hemodialyzed patients: their possible role in altered immunity.
abstract: Interleukin 2 (IL-2) and B-cell growth factors I and II (BCGF I and BCGF II) are lymphokines produced by T cells that play a major role in T- and B-cell cooperation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 12 uremic patients undergoing intermittent hemodialysis were tested for their capacity to produce IL-2 and BCGFs and to respond to these soluble mediators. IL-2 and BCGF activities were determined by means of two biological assays (proliferation of IL-2-dependent cytotoxic T-cell line CTLL-2 and of anti-human IgM (mu chain)-stimulated normal B cells, respectively) in the supernatants of phytohemagglutinin A-stimulated T-cell cultures. IL-2 activity was significantly decreased in patients as compared to normal controls (mean +/- SEM, 0.28 +/- 0.09 unit per ml) in hemodialyzed patients versus 1.02 +/- 0.16 units per ml in normal controls). This profound abnormality contrasted with the normal activity of the BCGFs that was invariably observed in the same supernatants. A similar dissociation was detected when analyzing the sensitivity of uremic B and T cells to exogenous purified lymphokines. Anti-IgM (mu chain)-stimulated uremic B cells exhibited a normal response to recombinant IL-2 and to chromatography-purified BCGF I and BCGF II. Resting B cells did not show any increased reactivity to these lymphokines. In contrast, whereas in normal controls recombinant IL-2 exclusively induced the proliferation of T cells that had been previously activated by a mitogen, resting T cells from uremic patients were highly responsive to exogenous IL-2. This abnormal response was paralleled by significantly increased proportions of peripheral T cells recognized by the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the IL-2 receptor. These data clearly show the existence in hemodialyzed patients of abnormally high proportions of T cells presenting phenotypic and functional signs of preactivation. This increased T-cell IL-2 receptor expression may offer an explanation to the deficient IL-2 activity observed in patients' supernatants (by inducing increased absorption of the lymphokine). The potential relevance of these preactivated T cells to the depressed cell-mediated immunity observed in hemodialyzed patients is outlined.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4