title: Interleukin-2 restores the depressed allogeneic cell-mediated lympholysis and natural killer cell activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by a variety of profound T-cell abnormalities among which are decreased cytotoxic capacity measured by allogeneic cell-mediated lympholysis (CML), natural killer cell (NK) activity, and decreased lymphokine production. In a group of 13 patients with active SLE, allogeneic CML, tested by a 4-hr 51Cr-release assay, was 18.2 +/- 2.7% while in the group of normal individuals CML was 41.2 +/- 2.7%. If optimal doses of affinity-purified interleukin-2 (IL-2) were present during the mixed lymphocyte culture, the CML of SLE patients was increased to normal levels (40.4 +/- 4.0%). In contrast, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) increased (but not significantly) the levels of CML. Mixed lymphocyte reaction, tested by tritiated thymidine incorporation, was also decreased in the group of patients (14,820 +/- 815 cpm vs 28,972 +/- 5880 cpm in normals) and it was increased to normal levels if IL-2, but not IFN-alpha was added to the cultures. NK activity was decreased in the group of patients tested by 51Cr-release assay, harvested at 6 and 18 hr. IL-2 increased the NK activity up to normal levels, while IFN-alpha was only partially efficacious. These results demonstrate that IL-2, but not IFN-alpha, can potentiate or even fully restore the deficient cytotoxic effector function of peripheral mononuclear cells in patients with SLE.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Tsokos
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Lipnick
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Balow
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Djeu
mesh_terms: D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007519:Isoantigens