title: Serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor and activity of rheumatic diseases characterized by immune system activation.
abstract: Levels of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R), as measured by a double-antibody "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, were markedly elevated in the serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and bacterial endocarditis, but not in patients with acute gout. Serum levels of IL-2R correlated strongly with clinical and laboratory indicators of disease activity in patients with lupus and in those with rheumatoid arthritis. This relationship was confirmed by sequential determinations in individual patients. Serum IL-2R values correlated with disease activity better than did the Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Our findings indicate that serum levels of IL-2R may serve as a reliable serologic indicator of disease activity in inflammatory diseases characterized by immune system activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Campen
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Quismorio
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012266:Ribose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D012266:Ribose; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D005944:Glucosamine; C018424:amiprilose