title: Interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression in children with newly diagnosed diabetes.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated the interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and the proliferative responses by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) of 23 children suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). In addition, the presence of circulating activated T lymphocytes expressing the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2 R) and HLA-DR antigens was evaluated. The patients were tested at hospital admittance, before starting insulin treatment. Decreased IL-2 production by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated PBMNC of IDDM patients was observed when compared to normal donors. In contrast, the proliferative responses of PBMNC to PHA and Con A were in the normal range. The expression of IL-2 R on patient's lymphocytes was not different from that observed in normal donors, whereas the relative and absolute number of HLA-DR+ T cells was increased. These results confirm the presence in IDDM patients of an imbalanced cellular immune response and demonstrate that the IL-2 deficiency is already present at the diagnosis and is not correlated with insulin administration.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2