title: Production of and response to interleukin 2 by blood mononuclear cells from some type 1 diabetic patients.
abstract: Production of and response to interleukin 2 (IL-2) were studied using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 23 patients with type 1 diabetes. When compared to PBMC from 18 control subjects, mean PHA-stimulated IL-2 synthesis in the diabetic group was found unimpaired (1.2 +/- 0.1 vs 1.5 +/- 0.2 U/ml). However, 3 subgroups could be distinguished with regard to IL-2 synthesis: IL-2 production was significantly increased in 5 patients and decreased in 2 patients, while the remaining 16 diabetics produced normal levels of IL-2. The diabetic group displayed a curve of PBMC proliferation in response to a range of recombinant IL-2 which was not significantly altered. However, an abnormally high blastogenic response was detected in 5 patients, correlating to an increased percentage of Ia-bearing T lymphocytes, while a markedly low response was seen in 2 other patients. These alterations of the IL-2 system could be related duration of diabetes. Indeed, high synthesis of IL-2 was more frequent in patients with long-standing disease than in recent onset diabetics: 44% and 7%, respectively. Conversely, increased response to IL-2 was found more often in the latter group than in the former (28% vs 11%) while decreased sensitivity was seen only in the latter group (14%). No correlations were found between these results and basal or glucagon-stimulated C peptide levels, percent of glycosylated hemoglobin, presence of autoantibodies, lymphocyte subsets, or HLA typing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins