title: Increased levels of soluble serum interleukin-2 receptor in extrinsic allergic alveolitis correlate with interleukin-2 receptor expression on alveolar macrophages.
abstract: In a group of 20 patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis (10 with farmer's lung, 9 with bird-breeder's lung, and 1 with humidifier's lung), we observed increased levels of soluble serum interleukin-2 receptor (ssIL-2R) with an average of 75.2 pmol (control group average, 40.6 pmol). Analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage cells by immunocytochemistry with a CD25 antibody revealed only a slight increase to 4.2% IL-2R+ cells among alveolar lymphocytes but a pronounced rise to 21.2% IL-2R+ cells among alveolar macrophages. Furthermore, cytometry revealed a fourfold higher IL-2R expression on a per cell basis for alveolar macrophages as compared with alveolar lymphocytes. A clear-cut positive correlation (p = 0.006) was found for ssIL-2R and IL-2R+ alveolar macrophages, but only a borderline correlation was found for ssIL-2R and IL-2R+ alveolar lymphocytes (p = 0.04). The finding of a concomitant decrease of IL-2R+ alveolar macrophages and of ssIL-2R on allergen avoidance further supports the notion that alveolar macrophages may be the main source of the increased ssIL-2R in patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Innenstadt, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pforte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gais
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ströbel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Breyer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Häussinger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziegler-Heitbrock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2